Security forces have identified the terrorist killed in the ongoing Operation Ashdar in the forested area of Budgam district, Jammu and Kashmir, as Yasir, a Pakistani national affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The joint cordon-and-search operation, conducted by the Indian Army (Chinar Corps), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and CRPF—began on Thursday, September 3, 2026, and continued into Friday. It was launched based on specific intelligence inputs regarding the movement of a suspected terrorist group from the Pakherpora area of Pulwama toward Yousmarg in Budgam.
The operation centered on Ashdar Gali, a remote, high-altitude, and densely forested mountain pass in the Pir Panjal range. This rugged corridor historically serves as a transit route across district boundaries and has often been used by infiltrators.
During the search, troops spotted suspicious movement. When challenged, the terrorists opened fire, triggering a fierce gunfight. The army confirmed yesterday that one terrorist was neutralized at the scene, and an AK-series rifle alongside other war-like stores were recovered from the site.
Today, the Jammu and Kashmir Police officially identified the deceased terrorist on their X handle, posting his photograph along with the statement:
“You Can Run But You Can’t Hide! The terrorist neutralized during Op Ashdar has been identified as Yasir, a Pakistani national of Lashkar-e-Taiba.”
LeT operations in Jammu and Kashmir increasingly involve small modules operating across forested, high-altitude routes in the Pir Panjal range for transit, logistics, and hideouts following infiltration through sectors such as Rajouri-Poonch or adjacent border areas.
According to intelligence reports, similar Pakistani LeT groups have split into smaller units to execute attacks and establish bases deeper in mountainous regions near Dachigam, Poonch, Rajouri, and Chhatroo. These groups rely on local overground workers (OGWs) for support while maintaining command links with handlers in Pakistan.
The identification of Yasir as a Pakistani LeT cadre once again underscores the foreign dimension of terrorism in the region.
Security forces are continuing sanitization and search operations across the challenging mountainous terrain. The joint operation remains underway in the Pir Panjal range to track down remaining elements of the group, with additional forces deployed to reinforce the cordon.
