Jammu: Indian security forces achieved a major operational breakthrough late Tuesday evening after neutralizing a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander during a fierce gunfight in the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. The slain militant has been identified as Fauji Musa, a senior operative belonging to the proscribed outfit.
The coordinated counter-terror offensive, designated Operation Korag, was launched jointly by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force in the Korag forest area near Yusmarg. According to the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps, troops observed suspicious movement in the dense terrain and challenged the suspects, prompting the hidden militants to open heavy fire. Security personnel retaliated swiftly, eliminating Musa in the ensuing exchange of gunfire.
Intelligence sources revealed that Musa was a close associate of top commander Yasir, who was killed on September 4 following a rigorous 13-day high-altitude manhunt near Yusmarg. Yasir was designated a high-value target implicated in several major strikes across the region, including the attack on an Indian Air Force convoy in Poonch, as well as assaults in Sonamarg, Bota Pathri, and Bhatta Durian.
Following Yasir’s elimination earlier this month, regional formations were placed on high alert while specialized teams combed the dense forests of the Pir Panjal range to track his surviving cell members. Tuesday’s engagement commenced after credible intelligence led troops to establish a tight cordon around the suspected hideout. The area remains sealed off as search and sanitization operations continue to track any remaining armed associates.
