Srinagar: The terrorist killed in an encounter with security forces in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district has been identified as Yasir, a Pakistani national and an alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) member, police said on Saturday.
Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed the identification in a post on X, stating, “You can run but you can’t hide.” Yasir was killed on Friday during the joint security operation codenamed ‘Ashdar’ in the Ashdar Gali area.
Security forces launch operation in Pir Panjal forests
The operation was launched after security forces received specific inputs about the movement of a suspected group of terrorists in the forested areas of the Pir Panjal belt.
Personnel from the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jointly conducted the operation.
According to the Army’s Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, troops noticed suspicious movement during the search operation and challenged the suspected terrorists. The terrorists allegedly responded by opening fire, following which security forces retaliated.
One terrorist was killed in the exchange of fire.
AK-series rifle recovered
An AK-series rifle and other war-like stores were recovered from the encounter site following the gunfight.
Security forces continued search and combing operations in the area after the encounter amid inputs that another terrorist, or possibly more terrorists, could still be hiding in the dense forest.
The difficult terrain has posed a challenge to the security forces involved in the operation. Teams continued to search the area on Saturday to rule out the presence of any other terrorists.
Forest belt connects Kashmir and Jammu regions
The encounter took place in the Ashdar Gali forests, an area located above the Yusmarg tourist resort. The forest belt connects Budgam in the Kashmir Valley with Poonch in the Jammu region through the Pir Panjal range.
Security forces have been maintaining heightened vigilance in the area due to its rugged terrain and strategic location.
The latest operation followed an exchange of fire reported in the Ashdar Gali forests on Thursday.
Details about slain terrorist awaited
While police identified the slain terrorist as Yasir and described him as a Pakistani national and an alleged LeT member, authorities have not publicly disclosed his full name, age or specific place of origin in Pakistan.
Details regarding when he allegedly infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir and his specific operational role have also not been made public.
The Budgam encounter is the second confirmed encounter between security forces and terrorists in the Kashmir Valley this year, according to the information available. The previous confirmed encounter was reported in Shopian on July 8, when alleged LeT terrorist Zakir Ahmad Ganai was killed.
Security forces continued combing operations in the Budgam forests on Saturday as part of efforts to determine whether any other terrorists remain in the area.