Top LeT Terrorist Hashim Moosa Killed in Budgam Encounter
A joint security operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district has resulted in the killing of a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist identified as Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa, also known by aliases including Fauzi Musa and Asif Fauji. The operation took place in the higher reaches of Yousmarg after security forces received specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists in the area.
Operation Korag Launched in Yousmarg
The operation, named Operation Korag, was conducted jointly by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force. According to the Army’s Chinar Corps, troops launched a search operation in the Korag area after receiving intelligence inputs. During the operation, security personnel noticed suspicious movement and challenged the suspected terrorists, who responded by opening fire. This led to an exchange of gunfire in which one terrorist was neutralised.
A subsequent search of the area led to the recovery of Moosa’s body in the Palmaidan area, along with what officials described as war-like stores. Security forces continued search operations in the surrounding forested terrain as part of efforts to establish whether other terrorists were present in the area.
A Wanted LeT Operative
Security agencies had been tracking Moosa for several years over his alleged involvement in terrorist activities across Jammu and Kashmir. Hindustan Times reported that he was a Pakistani national who was believed to have infiltrated into India in 2023. Reports also identify him as a former para-commando of Pakistan’s Special Service Group, with military training that reportedly included guerrilla and ambush tactics.
His reported activities extended across the Pir Panjal region and the Kashmir Valley, an area where dense forests and difficult mountainous terrain have posed challenges for security operations. His movements had therefore remained a focus of intelligence and counter-terrorism agencies.
Link to the Pahalgam Terror Attack
Moosa was also among the terrorists identified by security agencies in connection with the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed. The investigation into the attack subsequently focused on Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba networks and their alleged operational links in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to reports, the National Investigation Agency’s chargesheet in the Pahalgam case identified Pakistan-based LeT and its alleged proxy, The Resistance Front, in connection with the wider conspiracy. Jammu and Kashmir Police had also listed Moosa among the wanted Pakistan-based terrorists linked to the investigation.
Earlier Encounter in Yousmarg
The latest operation followed an earlier encounter in the Yousmarg hills on September 5. Moosa reportedly managed to escape during that operation, while his close associate Yasir was killed. Security agencies subsequently intensified efforts to locate him, eventually receiving intelligence that led to the operation in the Budgam area.
The recovery of Moosa’s body after the latest encounter marks the end of a prolonged search for an operative who had remained at large despite earlier security operations. His reported links to multiple attacks made him a significant target for counter-terrorism agencies.
Continued Security Operations in the Region
The Budgam operation also highlights the importance of intelligence-led searches in the mountainous areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Coordination between the Army, police and CRPF enabled security personnel to act on specific intelligence and conduct a targeted operation in difficult terrain. Further searches were continuing after the encounter to gather additional intelligence and rule out the presence of other terrorists.
The operation comes amid continuing efforts by security agencies to track Pakistan-based terrorist networks and their operatives in Jammu and Kashmir. The recovery of weapons and other war-like material from the encounter site is also expected to provide investigators with additional information about the terrorist’s activities and possible links.
The MGMM Outlook
The killing of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa in Budgam’s Yousmarg area marks an important development in the ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in Jammu and Kashmir. During Operation Korag, a joint team of the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF acted on specific intelligence and neutralised the terrorist after an exchange of fire. Moosa had reportedly been wanted for several years and was among the terrorists identified in connection with the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. His reported military training and activities across the Pir Panjal region and Kashmir Valley had made him a significant target for security agencies.
The operation also demonstrates the importance of coordinated intelligence and sustained security efforts in challenging mountainous and forested terrain. Moosa had reportedly escaped an earlier encounter in Yousmarg in September, after which security agencies continued tracking his movements until actionable intelligence led to the latest operation. The recovery of his body along with war-like stores, followed by continued searches in the area, could provide further inputs into terrorist networks and their activities. Such operations underline the continued focus of security forces on identifying and disrupting terror networks and strengthening security across Jammu and Kashmir.
(Sources: Firstpost, Moneycontrol, Hindustan Times)
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