Srinagar, May 24: The security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday killed Al-Qaeda militant Zakir Musa in Tral area of Pulwama. According to a tweet by ANI, Musa's body was found at the encounter site on Friday.  Musa, the so-called chief of Al-Qaeda's Kashmir cell named Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, was trapped during a cordon and search operation at Tral in South Kashmir on Thursday evening. Following the killing Zakir Musa, authorities have suspended mobile internet services temporarily across Kashmir valley. Schools and colleges have been ordered to be closed today. Zakir Musa, Al Qaeda Kashmir Unit Chief, Killed in Pulwama Encounter.

According to details by Police, the encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Tral after militants opened fire at forces. The forces were fired upon by terrorists trapped inside a house. Retailiating to the gunfire, security forces gunned down Musa in an encounter in Awantipora in Pulwama district on Thursday. In the wake of the gunfight in the area, Jammu and Kashmir police announced restrictions in some areas of Pulwama, Awantipora, Srinagar, Anantnag and Budgam as a precautionary measure.

The locality was then cordoned by security forces on Thursday following inputs from intelligence agencies. One AK-47 rifle and one Rocket Launcher were also recovered from the encounter site. According to reports, people familiar with the development confirmed that even though Musa had been asked to surrender, he launched a counter attack against the forces.

The  Al-Qaeda faction in Kashmir on 27 July 2017 had  named then Hizbul Mujahideen commander Zakir Musa as the head of the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind cell in Kashmir.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 24, 2019 09:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).