13 Days Long Operation, Pressure, Manhunt and End of Lashkar’s No. 2 in Jammu and Kashmir: Inside Track of Operation Ashdar

Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday afternoon announced that Lashkar terrorist Yasir has been killed in ongoing encounter in Ashdar area of Budgam district. Sources have informed Republic World that Yasir was No. 02 of Pakistan based terror group Lashkar E Taiba in Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said that operation is presently underway in the general area of Budgam and Poonch to neutralise Lashkar’s No. 1.

Officials said that based on network intercepts by central agencies and J&K Police, large scale manhunt was launched in third week of August, somewhere close to Independence Day. SSP Budgam on August 20 posted on X, “Sh Nalin Prabhat, DGP, conducted an Op Review, of Temporary Operating Bases(TOB), in the general area of Shaliganga, with Sh VK Birdi, IG Kashmir Zone; Sh Rajiv Pandey; Sh Hariprasad KK, SSP Budgam and his team”.

The area was said to be general area where operation had taken place. IG Kashmir Sujit Kumar also reviewed operation soon after taking charge and gave directions for elimination of this group of Lashkar.

Sources further added that operation was launched from Rajouri – Poonch border after network intercepts and teams of SOG Poonch, Poonch Police and Indian Army have been tracking their movement in the twin districts. Officials say that building pressure in South of Pir Panjal Region (SPPR) have pushed this group of “High Value Targets” towards Central Kashmir from heights of Poonch.

Central agencies have tracked his movement in Rajouri, followed by digital and human intercepts at Chamred and Dara Sangla area of Poonch. Agencies suspect that after killing of Yasir, his associate- another “High Value Target” might move in backward direction towards from Poonch.

Yasir was involved in more than five major terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of 23 security force personnel and civilians. These incidents include the Dhana Shah Sitar Air Force attack in Poonch on 04 May 2024, in which one IAF soldier was killed; the Bhatta Durriyan-1 terror attack in Poonch on 11 October 2021, in which nine Army soldiers were killed; the Buta Pathri Army attack in Baramulla on 25 October 2024, in which two Army soldiers and two civilian porters were killed; the Bhatta Durriyan-2 terror attack in Poonch on 20 April 2023, in which five Army soldiers were killed; and the Dera Ki Gali terror attack in Poonch on 21 December 2023, in which four Army soldiers were killed.