Srinagar, Sep 30, KDC: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday said the killing of senior Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Musa alias Asif Fauji in Budgam was a “serious blow” to the militant outfit’s network in Jammu and Kashmir.
Musa was killed in an intelligence-led joint operation by security forces at Gurwatkalan in the Khansahib police station area of Budgam district, the MHA said in a statement issued to Kashmir Dot Com.
According to the ministry, security forces had been pursuing Musa for a long time and recently put in place a “specific all-stakeholder plan” for his neutralisation after receiving technical and human intelligence about his movement and presence.
The ministry said the operation was part of an ongoing, long-sustained ‘Operation Sheruwali’, which commenced in May 2026.
“The neutralization of Musa by Indian security forces is a serious blow to LeT ecosystem in the UT of J&K,” the MHA said.
It said Musa was part of a group of four senior LeT commanders who had been operating in Jammu and Kashmir since 2022 and were allegedly responsible for several “sensational attacks” in the Union Territory.
“With Musa’s killing, the entire group of four senior LeT Commanders operating in the UT since 2022, and responsible for sensational attacks, stands neutralized,” the ministry said.
The MHA said security forces killed the other three members of the group in separate encounters.
According to the ministry, Junaid Bhat was killed on December 3, 2024, in Dachigam; Suleman was killed on July 28, 2025, during Operation Mahadev; and Yasir was killed on September 4, 2026, during Operation Asdhar.
The ministry said the group was responsible for or linked to several attacks, including the Halan attack in August 2023, Kandi attack in May 2023, DKG attack in December 2023, Shahsitar attack in May 2024, Shiv Khori attack in June 2024, Gagangir attack in October 2024, Bootapathri attack in October 2024 and Baisaran attack in April 2025.
The MHA said the operation against Musa was the result of sustained efforts by security forces and followed the receipt of intelligence inputs about his movements.
“Security Forces were pursuing Musa for long, and, recently a specific all-stakeholder plan for his neutralization was put in place after technical and human intelligence about his movement and presence were received,” it said.
The ministry also credited coordination among various security agencies for counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Over the past few years, all security agencies—such as the Jammu & Kashmir Police, the Indian Army, and the CAPF—have been conducting counter-terrorism operations in close coordination, yielding positive results,” the MHA said.
The killing of Musa comes days after security forces conducted operations against terrorists in the higher reaches of central Kashmir. The operation at Gurwatkalan in Budgam was part of the wider security effort to track and neutralise senior LeT commanders operating in Jammu and Kashmir. (KDC)
