SRINAGAR: In a major counter-insurgency breakthrough, three heavily armed terrorists were eliminated on Friday during an intense operation in the remote hills of Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir. The high-risk mission, was part of an expanded campaign to flush out extremist elements hiding in the mountainous stretches of the Jammu region.
Among the dead was a high-ranking terrorist of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), identified as Saifullah, who had been orchestrating terrorist activities in the region for several months. โThe terrorist gunned down in Kishtwar is a high-value target. Saifullah was a senior commander of JeM and was instrumental in coordinating movements in the area,โ a senior security official confirmed.
The joint offensive, led by the Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police, was launched in the dense woodlands of Chatru based on specific intelligence leads. Security forces made direct contact with the terrorists during a tactical sweep through the rugged terrain.
โA fierce gun battle ensued following contact with hostile elements,โ stated the Armyโs White Knight Corps via a social media post. โDespite severe weather conditions and treacherous geography, our troops are pressing ahead with undeterred resolve,โ the statement added.
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Elite units of the forces maneuvered through snow-clad ridges and steep forest paths to zero in on the terrorist hideouts. Officials believe more insurgents are still navigating the area, attempting to evade capture under growing pressure from the troops.
The operation has now extended into neighboring zones, including the Bhaderwah sector in Doda district. Intelligence sources suggest that terrorist movement between various mountainous locations in Jammu is being closely observed and tracked in real-time.
The encounter was triggered earlier in the week when a brief exchange of fire erupted in Naidgam, within the Chatru zone. The eliminated terrorist is reportedly part of the Saifullah-led cell with links to Pakistan. Though unconfirmed officially, the same network is suspected to be behind the deadly ambush on July 15, 2024, in Doda district, which left an Army officer and a soldier dead.
With summer thaw enabling movement across higher altitudes, forces have intensified their watch over potential infiltration routes. Surveillance has been beefed up in Bhaderwahโs highlands using aerial support, including helicopters and drones, to monitor corridors connecting Kishtwar, Kathua, and Udhampur.
In the past 19 days alone, five fierce encounters have unfolded in the hilly tracts of Kathua, Udhampur, and Kishtwar. While three terrorists have been taken down, the toll also includes the tragic loss of four police personnel. Three others, along with a civilian girl, sustained injuries in separate incidents.
Meanwhile, fresh operations were relaunched in the dense Jopher-Marta forests of Udhampur on Friday. Senior Superintendent of Police Amod Ashok Nagpure confirmed the deployment of multiple agencies, including units with drone eyes in the sky and trained sniffer dogs on the ground. โWe suspect two to three armed terrorists are cornered in the area,โ he said, affirming that search efforts are ongoing with full intensity.
