Top LeT terrorist shot dead in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir while offering prayer

A top terrorist commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was on India’s wanted list and was shot dead in a mosque in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Friday, officials said. An unidentified gunman shot the terrorist inside Al-Qudus mosque in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir’s Rawalkot. The dead terrorist’s name has been identified as Riyaz Ahmad alias Abu Qasim.

According to media reports, Riyaz was shot dead at point-blank range when he had come to offer prayers from Kotli. This is the fourth such case of a top terrorist commander operating from across the border this year.

Dhangri terror attack by LeT

Riyaz was affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba and was one of the prime conspirators behind the Dhangri terror attack on January 1 killing seven people and injuring 13 others. The terrorist had struck the Dhangri village of Rajouri district and opened fire indiscriminately.

Moreover they also left behind an improvised explosive device that went off the following morning.

More about this notorious terrorist

Riyaz originally hailed from Jammu and crossed the border to Pakistan in 1999. He has also been considered as the brains behind the revival of terrorism in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, officials said. His actions led to increased tensions along these sensitive areas further straining Indo-Pak relations.

He primarily operated out of LeT’s base camp situated in Muridke but had recently relocated to Rawalakot. Ahmad also held close ties with Sajjad Jaat – Chief Commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba – and played crucial roles beyond planning terror attacks. He managed financial aspects for this outlawed outfit, which is a critical aspect of any terrorist organization’s operations.

“Ahmad mostly operated from the Lashkar-e-Taiba base camp in Muridke but had recently shifted to Rawalakot. He was a close associate of Sajjad Jaat, the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s chief commander, and also looked after the outfit’s finances,” they said.