Ex-Pakistan Army SSG commando, now LeT terrorist, killed in Budgam
The terrorist killed in the Budgam operation today had once served in Pakistan’s elite commando force, with security sources identifying Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa as a former Pakistan Army Havildar and Special Services Group operative who later joined Lashkar-e-Taiba, sources said.
Asif was killed during a joint search operation launched in the Korag-Yousmarg area on specific intelligence inputs. The Chinar Corps said his body was subsequently recovered from Palmaidan along with war-like stores.
The Chinar Corps of the Indian Army said that during the search early morning in General Area Palmaidan, body of Pakistan based LeT terrorist, identified as Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa has been recovered along with war like stores.
Based on specific intelligence input, a joint search operation was launched by the Indian Army, J&K Police and CRPF in the general area Korag, Yousmarg. Vigilant troops observed suspicious activity and upon being challenged, terrorists opened fire, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire during which one terrorist neutralised.
According to sources, Mohammad Asif was born on March 7, 1980, and joined the Pakistan Army in 2000 under service number PA-3106947. He retired from the force with the rank of Havildar and joined the terror outfit. His CNIC card number issued in 2020 was 3710592282445.
Sources said that he was involved in multiple attacks on civilians and Army in J&K. Footage from IAF convoy attack may 2024, recovered from another terrorist Junaid Ramzan’s phone on 3 December 2024 showed his involvement in the attack. His other involvements were Reasi bus attack on 9 June 2024 in which at least ten pilgrims were killed and 41 injured, Dera-ki-Gali ambush in December 2023 and many other ambushes in Kashmir and Pir Panjal regions in 2024, sources said.
His family comes from Attock in Pakistan but subsequently shifted to Rawalpindi, sources said.
Sources said that in 2005, he was inducted into the Special Services Group (SSG) and served with 4 Commando “Yalgar” Battalion. From 2006 onward, he was reportedly posted in Balochistan, where he participated in around 10 operations against Baloch insurgents where he is reported to have killed 13 persons.
Between 2006 and 2009, Moosa reportedly served on the VVIP security team of former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
Thereafter, he was also deployed for security of various Pakistani politicians, including Pervez Khattak, Dost Mohammad Khan and Mohammad Khan, reports said.