NEW DELHI: Six terrorists, including a close aide of Zakir Musa, one of Jammu and Kashmir’s most wanted terrorist, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district today. Soliha, also known as Rehaan Khan, was the deputy chief of Zakir Musa’s group Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind, which has links with Al-Qaeda.

Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the Awantipora area in the south Kashmir district after they received specific intelligence input about the presence of terrorists there.

Police said as the forces were conducting searches, terrorists fired upon them, triggering the encounter.

“Weapons and war-like stores have been recovered. The operation is over,” a Defence Ministry spokesman said.

Zakir Musa is a former Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, and his Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind is said to also have links to Jaish-e-Mohammed. He is one of the most wanted terrorists who are currently operating in the Kashmir valley.

In November, Punjab was put on high alert after he was spotted near Amritsar. Posters of Zakir Moosa were put up across the state following inputs that he along with seven members of the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed were believed to be sighted in Ferozepur.

Earlier that month, the Punjab Police arrested two students associated with his terrorist organisation in connection with Maqsudan Police Station hand-grenade blasts case of September 14.