A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)-linked operative has claimed that more than 30 members of the Pakistan-based terror outfit have been killed over the last three to four years. The statement is being seen as one of the clearest public admissions by someone linked to the group about the losses it has suffered in recent years.

The claim was made by Rizwan Hanif in a video reportedly recorded in May and has now surfaced on social media. During his speech, Hanif alleged that Indian intelligence agencies carried out the killings through what he described as an "unknown gunman model."

Addressing supporters, Hanif said that LeT operatives had been targeted in several cities across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. He named Peshawar, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot among the locations where the attacks allegedly took place.

"Over the past three to four years, more than 30 of our people have been killed by Indian intelligence agents," Hanif said.

His remarks mark a rare public acknowledgement from a Lashkar-linked figure that the outfit has faced repeated losses over the past few years. Several terrorists linked to different organisations have been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan during this period. These incidents have led to widespread speculation about those behind the attacks.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of carrying out targeted killings inside its territory. New Delhi has consistently rejected these allegations and has denied any involvement.

In his address, Hanif also claimed that LeT operatives were unable to live safely in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir due to the alleged campaign against them. He accused Indian intelligence agencies of using local agents to target members of the organisation.

"Indian intelligence agencies have not allowed our people to live in peace and tranquillity in Kashmir. Through their agents, they have martyred our people," he claimed.

Along with the allegations, Hanif made several inflammatory and derogatory remarks during his speech. He targeted followers of different religions while referring to the deaths of Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives. He claimed that members of the outfit were being targeted due to their religious identity and alleged that their "only crime" was their religious belief.

Hanif also made offensive remarks against Hindus and Jews. He used derogatory language while comparing their religious practices with Islam. He went on to make hateful comments against followers of other faiths as well. Towards the end of this part of his speech, he declared the supremacy of Allah and stated that neither the United States nor Israel was supreme.

Lashkar-e-Taiba was established in Pakistan in the late 1980s by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Zafar Iqbal and Abdullah Azzam. It was created as the militant wing of Markaz-ud-Dawa-wal-Irshad, an Islamist organisation that emerged during the Soviet-Afghan War. After Soviet forces withdrew from Afghanistan, the group's activities shifted towards Jammu and Kashmir.

India, the United States, the United Nations and several other countries have designated Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terrorist organisation. The group has been linked to multiple terror attacks over the years. India and several Western governments have also alleged that Lashkar-e-Taiba has received support from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Pakistan has denied allegations of supporting terrorist groups operating from its territory.

The emergence of Hanif's video has once again drawn attention to the series of targeted killings involving terror operatives in Pakistan. His statements have renewed focus on claims and counterclaims made by India and Pakistan over these incidents. While Hanif directly accused Indian intelligence agencies of orchestrating the attacks, India has maintained its position and continues to reject Pakistan's allegations of involvement in such killings.