Security Forces Kill LeT’s Most-Wanted Terrorist in Encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam

A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district late Tuesday, officials said.

The slain militant was identified as Sulaiman Shah, alias ‘Musa’. The Indian Army’s Chinar Corps, however, initially withheld his identity, confirming only that one terrorist was killed during the operation in the Dudhpathri forest area.

The joint operation involving the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was launched following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the Korag area of Yousmarg.

During the search, troops detected suspicious movement and challenged the suspected militants. The terrorists responded with gunfire, leading to an intense exchange in which one terrorist was killed.

The Chinar Corps said the operation was continuing and further details would follow.

Who Was Sulaiman Shah?

Officials said Musa had been on the security forces’ radar since an earlier encounter in the Yousmarg hills on September 5, when his associate Yasir was killed. Musa reportedly managed to escape from the area during that operation and had remained a target of subsequent searches.

Sources cited by CNN-News18 identified him as Mohammad Asif, also known as Hashim Musa and ‘Fauji’. He was reportedly a resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

According to the sources, Musa’s appearance and training were considered similar to those of Pakistani Army personnel, leading to his ‘Fauji’ nickname. His father was also reported to have served in the Pakistani Army.

Musa’s name emerged in investigations following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack, with security agencies reportedly linking him to the incident. Officials also alleged that he was involved in attacks targeting security forces in Poonch-Rajouri and other areas on both sides of the Pir Panjal range.

Security Operation Underway

Security forces have continued search operations in the forested areas of central Kashmir following the encounter.

Officials said the killing of Musa could affect the LeT’s operational network in Jammu and Kashmir, though details of his exact role in various attacks remain subject to investigation.

The Army has not yet released further details on the identity or background of the slain terrorist beyond confirming that one militant was neutralised in the encounter.