It has been revealed that the person shot dead in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday was Muhammad Asif, a senior commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist organization, a former bodyguard of Pakistan’s former President Musharraf, and a former Pakistani army officer.
His being shot dead, after being wanted for the past five years, is being seen as a major setback for the Lashkar terrorist organization.
Security force officials said on Wednesday that in the attack carried out last year in Pahalgam in Anantnag district, terrorists suddenly targeted tourists, killing 26 people and injuring 20 others. The terrorists involved in the attack escaped. Security forces had been searching for them.
Similarly, in a terrorist attack in Gulmarg in October 2024, 2 army personnel were killed. Two others were injured. In an attack in Kandarpal in the same month of October, 7 civilians were killed. In December 2023, in an attack on 2 army vehicles, 4 soldiers were killed. Three were injured. Security forces had been searching for Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Mohammad Asif for the past 5 years in connection with these attacks, as well as several other terrorist attacks carried out in Jammu and Kashmir.
In this situation, a gunfight took place on Tuesday night between terrorists hiding in the Gorak area of Yusuzmark and security forces. In this clash, Muhammad Asif was shot dead. He was also known by the names Musa, Asif Fazi, and Sulaiman.
Former Pakistani army officer: Muhammad Asif, who served in the Pakistani army for 23 years, worked as a special forces officer (SSG) for 18 of those years. He served as a security officer for former Pakistani President Musharraf from 2006 to 2008.
During his service period, he went to the United States and received special training on how to provide security to very important people. He also completed medical studies in the United States. After retiring from the Pakistan Army, he joined a terrorist organization and had been training terrorists. After that, he infiltrated from Pakistan into India’s Jammu and Kashmir in 2021 and, as a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, led the organization’s terrorists and operated there.
Involved in various attacks: From the 2023 Poonch attack to the Pahalgam attack, he had acted as the mastermind behind several attacks targeting the military and civilians. For this, security forces had been searching for him for the past 5 years. His being shot dead now is a major victory for the security forces.
The 5th terrorist has been shot dead: Asif Awar, the 5th major terrorist to be killed by security forces in the districts of Budgam, Udhampur, and Doda. This is being seen as a major setback for the Lashkar terrorist organizations. It was said that Yasir, reportedly an associate of Asif, had already been killed by security forces on the 5th.
Regarding this, in a post on its X social media page, the Indian Army said, “During a search operation carried out amid the security forces’ action, the body of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Asif and a large number of weapons near the body were found. The operation continues,” it stated.
Ministry of Home Affairs statement: In a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson, it has been said that Asif's killing is a major setback for the Lashkar organization.