Mumbai, July 28: In a major counter-terrorism breakthrough achieved on Monday, July 28, Indian Army Special Forces eliminated Hashim Musa, the mastermind behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. Hashim Musa was killed during an intense encounter in the dense forests of Harwan near Jammu and Kashmir's Dachigam.

At least three terrorists, including Hashim Musa, were killed in the gunfight, which took place around 20 kilometres from Srinagar’s city centre. “Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation continues," the Army’s Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said in a post on X. Srinagar Encounter: 2 Terrorists Killed in Anti-Terror Operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Dachigam Area.

3 Terrorists Killed in Anti-Terror Operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Dachigam Area

Who Was Hashim Musa

Hashim Musa, also known as Suleiman Musa, was a former operative of Pakistan’s elite Special Services Group (SSG). Security officials believe Musa was "loaned" to LeT by elements within Pakistan’s military establishment to bolster the group's cross-border operations in Jammu and Kashmir. According to sources, the Pakistan Army dismissed Musa from its ranks, after which he joined the banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). It is believed he infiltrated into India in September 2023, with his area of operation primarily in Kashmir's Budgam district, near Srinagar.

Hashim Musa’s background with the SSG came to light when one of the 14 Kashmiri Over Ground Workers (OGWs), who were interrogated by investigators in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack, provided information. These OGWs are suspected of having facilitated logistics for the Pakistani terrorists and assisted in the reconnaissance of the terror site. Srinagar Encounter: Gunfight Breaks Out Between Security Forces and Terrorists in Harwan Area of City Near Dachigam National Park.

Musa, a trained para commando, was believed to be an expert in unconventional warfare and covert operations. Such trained commandos are generally expert in handling sophisticated weapons with ability to indulge in hand-to-hand combat, having high navigation and survival skills.

On April 22, 2025, terrorists armed with M4 rifles launched a brutal assault on civilians in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, leaving 26 dead in one of the deadliest attacks in the region in recent years. Investigators later identified Musa as the key figure behind the planning and execution of the attack. The terror attack was the deadliest incident in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 28, 2025 03:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).