A Pakistani Lashkar‑e‑Taiba commander, identified as Yasir, was killed in an encounter with joint security forces in the upper reaches of Yousmarg in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Saturday. 

Sources confirmed that the gunfight broke out after joint forces launched an intelligence‑based search operation in the area following inputs about the presence of terrorists.

The operation was carried out jointly by Special Forces and 53 Rashtriya Rifles, who engaged in an exchange of fire with the terrorists. Yasir was part of the larger Sulaiman Musa group of Lashkar‑e‑Taiba but had split from the faction nearly a year ago.

Since then, he had been operating independently, and security agencies had been tracking his movements in the Yousmarg area for a brief period.

Officials revealed that Yasir had emerged as a key Lashkar operative in the region after separating from the Musa group. His presence in the higher reaches of Yousmarg prompted security forces to launch the search operation, which culminated in the encounter. His elimination is seen as a significant development in the ongoing counter‑terror campaign.

The encounter in Yousmarg comes amid intensified counter‑terror operations across Jammu and Kashmir. Following Yasir’s death, agencies are probing his network, his links with other Lashkar‑e‑Taiba operatives, and the extent of his activities in the region. Investigators are also examining whether he played any role in planning, facilitating, or supporting recent terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Yasir’s association with the Sulaiman Musa group adds further context to his profile. Sulaiman Musa, also known as Hashim Moosa, was one of the masterminds behind the 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

A few months after the attack, Indian security forces gunned Moosa down in an encounter in the Dachigam forest area of Srinagar. Yasir’s split from Musa’s faction and his independent operations highlight the evolving dynamics within Lashkar‑e‑Taiba’s command structure.

Security analysts believe that Yasir’s killing may disrupt Lashkar’s local networks, though agencies remain cautious about the possibility of successor operatives filling the vacuum.

The incident underscores the continuing challenges posed by Pakistan‑based terror outfits and the sustained efforts of Indian forces to neutralise their operatives inside Jammu and Kashmir.

Agencies