Top Lashkar-e-Taiba Terrorist Gunned Down in PoK (Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir)

Top Lashkar-e-Taiba Terrorist Gunned Down in PoK (Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir)

VoM News Desk | September 9, 2023 | 02:10 AM IST | Breaking News, Pakistan News | Follow on Google News

Top Lashkar-e-Taiba Terrorist Gunned Down in PoK (Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir)

Unidentified Gunmen Strike Inside a Mosque

In a significant development, Riyaz Ahmad, also known as Abu Qasim, a wanted terrorist in India and a prominent member of the banned organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, was fatally shot inside a mosque in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) during pre-dawn prayers. This marks the fourth such killing of a top terrorist commander operating from across the border this year.

Involvement in Dhangri Terror Attack

Riyaz Ahmad, who was actively affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba, had played a crucial role in planning and executing the Dhangri terror attack on January 1. During this attack, terrorists targeted the village of Dhangri in Rajouri district, resulting in the tragic loss of seven lives and injuries to 13 individuals. Additionally, the terrorists left behind an improvised explosive device that detonated the following morning.

Background and Role

Originally from the Jammu region, Riyaz Ahmad had infiltrated across the border in 1999. He was considered the mastermind behind the resurgence of terrorism in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. Operating mostly from the Lashkar-e-Taiba base camp in Muridke, he had recently shifted to Rawalakot in POK. He held a close association with Sajjad Jaat, the chief commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba, and was responsible for managing the outfit’s finances.

Pattern of Targeted Eliminations

This incident marks the fourth instance of top commanders from various terrorist organizations operating in Pakistan being eliminated this year. It highlights the continued efforts to disrupt and dismantle terrorist networks in the region.

In March, a top commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, Bashir Ahmad Peer, was shot dead in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He had been living in Pakistan for over 15 years and was implicated in the killing of Zakir Musa, the chief commander of Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind, an al-Qaeda offshoot in Kashmir, in May 2019.

In February, Syed Khalid Raza, a former commander of Al-Badr Mujahideen, was targeted and killed in Karachi, Pakistan, in what the police described as a deliberate attack.

Earlier in the year, Aijaz Ahmad Ahangar, a prominent Kashmiri terrorist and a top commander of the global terror group Islamic State, was found dead, reportedly killed by the Taliban, in Afghanistan’s Kunar Province.

These developments underscore the ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and dismantle extremist networks operating in the region.

VoM News Desk

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