Actionable intelligence regarding 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 eliminated him late Tuesday night.
The operation was based entirely on high-grade intelligence inputs. Upon receiving precise location details, 15 Chinar Corps acted promptly and tracked down Moosa in the general area of Gurweth Kalan in Budgam, killing him at around 10:30 PM on September 29.
Who Was Hashim Moosa?
Moosa, also known by aliases Asif Fauji and Suleiman, was a Pakistani national and a high-value LeT operative believed to have infiltrated into India in 2023. Intelligence inputs indicated that he was a former Special Service Group (SSG) commando with advanced tactical combat training.
He had been on the radar of security agencies for over 18 months as a high-value foreign terrorist coordinator. Intelligence records also established that he maintained constant communication with LeT commander Sajid Jatt—a key handler linked to major terror plots in the region.
Moosa’s Terror Trail in Jammu and Kashmir
According to security agency dossiers, Moosa was directly involved in several high-profile ambushes and attacks on security personnel across the union territory:
- Halan, Kulgam (August 4, 2023): Attack resulted in the deaths of three Indian Army personnel.
- DKG Ambush (December 21, 2023): Four Army personnel were killed in action.
- IAF Convoy Attack, Shastar, Poonch (May 4, 2024): One Indian Air Force personnel was killed.
- Botapathri, Gulmarg (October 24, 2024): Attack resulted in the deaths of two Army soldiers and two civilian Army porters.
Key Recoveries and Tactical Impact
The joint security operation, designated Operation Korag, successfully neutralized Moosa before he could carry out further tactical strikes in central Kashmir.
Following the encounter at Gurweth Kalan, security forces conducted a thorough search of the site and recovered:
- 1 AK-47 assault rifle
- 2 AK magazines
- 1 LoRa / Ultra handset device
- 1 LoRa / Ultra mobile device
- 1 personal mobile phone
The elimination of Moosa marks a significant operational victory for security forces, severely disrupting LeT’s local command hierarchy and communication channels in Jammu and Kashmir.
