On December 22, Security Forces (SFs) arrested three terrorist associates, identified as Abdul Rouf Malik and Altaf Ahmad Payer of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), (the identity of the third person is not yet disclosed) and recovered arms and ammunition in Kupwara District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). During questioning, two hideouts constructed on the instructions of a Pakistan-based terrorist handler named Farooq Ahmad Pir alias Nadeem Usmani were revealed, with the recovery of one AK rifle, two AK magazines, 119 AK rounds, one pistol, one pistol mag, four pistol rounds, six hand grenades, one Improvised Explosive Device (IED), two detonators, two wire bundles, and one water tank of approximately 100 liters capacity from the hideouts, reports Daily Excelsior.The terrorists also received INR 600,000 in cash in June 2022, which was intended to purchase materials for the construction of hideouts and procuring of arms and ammunition. A total of INR 64,000 has been recovered the police. Two more terrorists, identified as Abdul Majeed Beigh and another (name undisclosed), have been detained for investigation. The terrorist associates were also being supervised by another handler called Fayaz Geelani, who is currently located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).