Actionable intelligence about the presence of most-wanted Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa alias Asif Fauji in Budgam prompted an immediate response from the Army's 15 Chinar Corps, which launched an operation and killed him late Tuesday night.
The operation was based entirely on intelligence inputs. The information was passed on to 15 Chinar Corps, which acted promptly and tracked down Moosa in the general area of Gurweth Kalan in Budgam. He was killed at around 10.30pm on September 29.
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Moosa had been on the radar of security agencies for more than a year and a half and was considered a high-value foreign terrorist operating in Jammu and Kashmir. Intelligence inputs had also established that he was in constant contact with LeT commander Sajid Jatt - who has been identified as a key LeT handler in the Pahalgam attack conspiracy.
Who was Hashim Moosa?
Moosa, also known as Asif Fauji and Suleiman, was a Pakistani national and a LeT operative believed to have infiltrated into India in 2023. Intelligence inputs indicated that he was a former Special Service Group (SSG) commando.
{{/usCountry}}Moosa, also known as Asif Fauji and Suleiman, was a Pakistani national and a LeT operative believed to have infiltrated into India in 2023. Intelligence inputs indicated that he was a former Special Service Group (SSG) commando.
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He was allegedly involved in several attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir after his infiltration and had remained a high-value target for security agencies.
Moosa's terror trail
According to intelligence inputs, Moosa was involved in several attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir:
- Halan, Kulgam, August 4, 2023: The attack resulted in the deaths of three Indian Army personnel.
- DKG ambush, December 21, 2023: Four Army personnel were killed.
- IAF convoy attack, Shastar, Poonch, May 4, 2024: One Indian Air Force personnel was killed.
- Botapathri, Gulmarg, October 24, 2024: Two Army soldiers and two Army porters were killed.
His contact with Sajid Jatt
Moosa had remained in regular contact with Sajid Jatt, a senior LeT commander and a key figure in the terror network linked to the Pahalgam attack.
While Moosa was not part of the group that executed the Pahalgam attack, his sustained communication with Jatt made him an important target for intelligence agencies as they worked to map and disrupt the wider LeT network operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
Security agencies had been hunting for Moosa for more than 18 months before the latest intelligence input pinpointed his presence in Budgam.
Intelligence-led operation
The operation that led to Moosa's killing was triggered by specific, actionable intelligence. The input was swiftly communicated to 15 Chinar Corps, which moved to act without delay.
The operation culminated in Moosa being killed at around 10.30pm in Gurweth Kalan.
An AK-47 rifle, two AK magazines, one LoRa/Ultra device handset, one LoRa/Ultra mobile device and one mobile phone were recovered from the site.