Srinagar, July 28: In a significant development, the Indian Army on Monday announced the elimination of three terrorists during an encounter in the Lidwas area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar district. The operation, codenamed ‘Operation Mahadev’, is believed to have targeted high-value foreign militants affiliated with the Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
According to sources cited by CNN-News18, intelligence agencies are probing whether one of the deceased terrorists is Hashim Musa or Suleman Musa, a suspected former Pakistani army commando believed to be linked to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. The other two are suspected to be Yasir and Abu Hamza, also foreign nationals with ties to LeT.
Top intelligence sources revealed that this operation was the culmination of a month-long intelligence-based surveillance mission. The Army engaged the terrorists after detecting suspicious movement in the forest during a routine area domination patrol around 11 am.
“The terrorists were neutralized after a brief but intense exchange of fire,” an Army source said, confirming that Para commandos spearheaded the assault. However, the identities of the deceased are still being formally verified by the Army and J&K Police.
Meanwhile, investigators are examining potential connections to the The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of LeT believed to have carried out the Pahalgam massacre. Photographs of the killed terrorists will reportedly be shown to the two suspects arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for harboring the Pahalgam attackers.
The Army has yet to issue an official confirmation on the identities, though multiple security agencies are reportedly involved in the verification process. If confirmed, the neutralization of Musa or his associates could be a major breakthrough in counter-terrorism operations in the region.
This encounter marks a critical moment in India’s ongoing efforts to combat cross-border terrorism, especially with intelligence agencies focused on preempting any large-scale attacks in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of key political developments in the region.
Also Read: All Eyes On Pahalgam : Pahalgam Terror Attack
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