Srinagar: A joint operation by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district ended with the killing of a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, officials said.
The operation, named Operation Korag, was carried out in the forested area near Yousmarg after security forces received information about the movement of suspected militants.
The Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were involved in the operation. According to the Army, troops spotted suspicious movement during the search and challenged the group. The militants responded by opening fire, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
One terrorist was killed in the firing.
The Army later identified the slain militant as Mohammad Asif, alias Hashim Moosa, and described him as a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist. His body was recovered during a subsequent search in the Palmaidan area, along with what the Army described as war-like stores.
What happened during Operation Korag?
Security forces launched the operation after receiving intelligence about the presence of a Lashkar-e-Taiba group in the Korag area near Yousmarg.
The operation was conducted late at night and continued into the following morning.
According to the Army’s account, troops noticed suspicious movement while carrying out the search. When the suspected militants were challenged, they opened fire.
Security personnel returned fire and an encounter followed.
One terrorist was killed during the exchange. The Army’s Chinar Corps later said that a search of the area led to the recovery of the body of Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa.
The search was not immediately called off. Security forces continued checking nearby forest areas because of the possibility that other militants could still be hiding in the region.
Who was Hashim Moosa?
Security officials identified the slain terrorist as Mohammad Asif, alias Hashim Moosa.
He was described as a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba operative and was reportedly wanted in connection with attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials have linked him to militant activity on both sides of the Pir Panjal range. Reports also say that the group associated with him was involved in several attacks in areas including Poonch and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Some early reports referred to the terrorist simply as “Musa” or “Fauzi Musa”. Later reports, citing the Army’s identification after the recovery of the body, named him Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa.
Because the encounter was a developing story, different names and descriptions appeared in the first reports. The later identification from the security forces provides a clearer picture of the individual killed in the operation.
Why the Yousmarg area matters
The location of the encounter is also important.
The Yousmarg region has large stretches of forest and difficult mountainous terrain. Such areas can make search operations challenging and can provide places for militants to hide or move without being easily detected.
The region also connects with the wider Pir Panjal belt, which has featured in several security operations over the years.
Security officials have alleged that the slain terrorist was involved in attacks across this wider region.
For security agencies, finding one militant is therefore only part of the task. They also have to determine whether other members of the group are nearby and whether the same network has links with other areas.
That appears to be one reason why the search operation continued after the initial encounter.
Army, Police and CRPF worked together
Operation Korag involved three major security forces—the Indian Army, J&K Police and CRPF.
Joint operations of this kind are commonly used when security agencies receive specific intelligence about militant movement.
Each agency can bring different capabilities to the operation, from intelligence gathering and local information to cordon and search activities.
In this case, the forces moved into the area following intelligence inputs and began searching for the suspected group.
The encounter began only after troops detected movement and challenged the militants, according to the Army.
Was Moosa involved in earlier attacks?
Security officials have said that Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa was wanted in connection with several attacks on security forces.
Reports have linked the group associated with him to attacks in Jammu and Kashmir between 2021 and 2024. These included incidents in the Pir Panjal region in which Army and other security personnel were killed.
However, it is important to separate official allegations from facts that have been independently established through investigations or court proceedings.
The exact role of the slain terrorist in individual attacks will depend on evidence gathered by investigating agencies.
Earlier security operation in the Yousmarg region
The latest encounter also comes against the backdrop of an earlier security operation in the Yousmarg hills.
According to reports citing security officials, Moosa had managed to escape an earlier operation in the area.
That information has added significance to the latest encounter because it suggests that security agencies had been tracking militant activity in the region for some time.
The latest intelligence input eventually led security forces back into the forested area, where they encountered the suspected militants.
What was recovered from the site?
After the encounter, security forces recovered the body of the slain terrorist.
The Army also said that war-like stores were recovered from the site.
Officials did not immediately provide a complete list of the recovered material.
That means it would be too early to make assumptions about the exact weapons or equipment found during the operation.
Such recoveries can nevertheless become important during the investigation. Weapons, ammunition, communication equipment or other material found at an encounter site can potentially help investigators understand how a militant group was operating and identify possible links with other members.
More information is expected if the security agencies release details of the recovered items.
Search operation continues
The killing of one terrorist did not necessarily mean the entire operation was over.
Security forces continued combing the surrounding forest areas to check whether other militants were present.
This is particularly important in the Yousmarg region because of its dense forests and difficult terrain. A militant group can potentially split up during an encounter and move into nearby areas.
Security personnel therefore have to search the surrounding locations carefully before the operation can be considered fully complete.
The continuing search could also provide investigators with additional information about the group.
Why Operation Korag is important
The main significance of Operation Korag is not limited to the killing of one terrorist.
The operation shows the role of intelligence in locating suspected militant groups in remote areas of Kashmir.
It also highlights the challenge faced by security forces in forested and mountainous terrain.
The forces first acted on intelligence about suspected movement, then carried out a search operation. When the militants allegedly opened fire after being challenged, the encounter followed.
The subsequent recovery of the body and material from the site has given security agencies a basis for further investigation.
The larger question now is whether the operation has disrupted a wider militant network operating in the area.
That answer may become clearer once the ongoing searches and investigations are completed.
Why the name of the terrorist was reported differently
There was some confusion over the identity of the slain terrorist in the initial reports.
Early reports used names such as “Musa” or “Fauzi Musa”. Later, the Army identified the recovered body as Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa.
Such differences are not unusual during a developing encounter story. Initial information often comes while an operation is still underway, and authorities may take additional time to confirm the identity of a person killed in the encounter.
For that reason, the later official identification is more useful when describing the incident.
It is also important not to mix reports about different militants who may have used similar aliases.
What happens next?
The immediate focus for the security forces is likely to remain on the search operation around the encounter site.
They will want to establish whether any other militants are hiding in the surrounding forests.
Investigators will also examine the material recovered from the site and try to establish more details about the slain terrorist’s movements and alleged associates.
If additional information emerges, it could shed light on the militant network operating in the area and its links to previous attacks.
For now, officials have confirmed that one suspected LeT terrorist was killed during the operation.
Key points from Operation Korag
- The encounter took place near Yousmarg in Budgam district.
- The operation followed intelligence about suspected militant movement.
- The Indian Army, J&K Police and CRPF participated in the operation.
- Security forces said the suspected militants opened fire after being challenged.
- One terrorist was killed during the encounter.
- The Army later identified him as Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa.
- Officials described him as a Pakistan-based LeT terrorist.
- His body was recovered from the Palmaidan area.
- War-like stores were also recovered, according to the Army.
- Security forces continued searching the surrounding area.
- Officials have alleged that Moosa was linked to attacks in the Pir Panjal region and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Bottom Line
Operation Korag has once again brought attention to the security challenges posed by militant groups operating in the forests of Jammu and Kashmir.
The operation began with intelligence about suspected terrorist movement and ended with the killing of a man identified by security forces as Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa.
But the story does not necessarily end with the encounter.
The continued search of the area will be important in determining whether other militants were present and whether the security forces can gather information about the wider network.
The recovered material could also become useful to investigators as they look into the terrorist’s alleged links and previous activities.
For the moment, the official account is clear on the immediate outcome: a joint Army, police and CRPF operation in the Korag-Yousmarg area resulted in the death of one suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist, while searches in the surrounding forests continued.