Security forces eliminated a top Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba commander in a gun battle on Tuesday in the rugged, forested heights of Budgam, central Kashmir, marking what officials described as a major blow to the outfit's network in the Valley.

The slain militant has been identified by security officials as Sulaiman Shah, who operated under the alias 'Musa' and was among the most wanted terrorists in the region.

Although the Army's Chinar Corps did not officially name the killed terrorist, multiple officials confirmed his identity as Shah, a key LeT operative with a long record of attacks across the Pir Panjal range.

Acting on specific intelligence, a joint search operation involving Rashtriya Rifles, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF was launched in the Korag area near Yousmarg.

Troops spotted suspicious movement and challenged the suspects, who immediately opened fire, triggering an intense exchange that left one terrorist dead, the Army said in a statement on X.

The encounter unfolded in the remote Dudhpathri forest sector, where security forces continued combing operations even after the initial neutralisation.

Shah had evaded capture earlier this month after a separate encounter in the Yousmarg hills on September 5, in which his close associate Yasir was killed.

Over the past several years, he was implicated in multiple attacks on both sides of the Pir Panjal, making his elimination a significant disruption for LeT modules active in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

PTI