J&K Encounter, Top Lashkar Commander Hashim Musa Eliminated

The last surviving member of a four-member Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group linked to several major terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Hashim Musa, was killed during an over night encounter in the Khan sahib area of central Kashmir Budgam district, the Indian Army said on Wednesday. Musa, also known as Asif Fauji, was described by officials as a commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. He was killed during a joint operation launched by security forces in an area falling under the jurisdiction of the Khan sahib police station. According to official, security forces had been tracking Musa for some time. A coordinated operation was subsequently planned after security agencie received specific intelligence regarding his movements and presence in the area. Recently, a specific all stake holder plan for his neutralisation was put in place after technical and human intelligence about his movement and presence were received, officials said. The operation was based on inputs gathered through both technical and human intelligence, with multiple security agencies working together to locate and intercept the militant. Musa was reportedly the last surviving member of the four-member LeT group that had been associated with some of the most high profile terror attacks in J&K in recent years. His killing therefore mark another significant development in the security forces on going operations against militant network operating in the region. The overnight operation took place in the Khan sahib area of Budgam, where security forces had been maintaining surveillance based on intelligence input. Officials said the operation was carefully planned following the receipt of actionable information about Musa presence. Security forces subsequently launched the joint operation, which culminated in the encounter and his death. The incident comes amid continued counter terror operations across Jammu and Kashmir, with security agencies focusing on identifying militant commanders, tracking their movements and disrupting their networks. Further details about the operation, including the sequence of events during the encounter and any recovery of weapons or other material from the site, are expected to be provided by the security agencies. For now, the Indian Army has confirmed that Hashim Musa, also known as Asif Fauji, was killed in the Budgam encounter, bringing the security forces' pursuit of the LeT commander to an end.