Jaish Commander Among Three Pakistani Terrorists Killed in Kishtwar Encounter; Anti-Terror Ops Continue Across J&K

Security forces eliminated three Pakistani terrorists, including top Jaish-e-Mohammad commander Saifullah, in a major counter-terror operation in the Naidgam forests of Chatroo, Kishtwar district, on Friday. The other two slain terrorists have been identified as Farman and Basha. All three carried a bounty of ₹5 lakh each.

According to officials, one terrorist was killed early Friday morning, followed by the neutralization of two more later in the day. The operation, launched on April 9, involved commandos from the Army’s elite 2, 5, and 9 Para units, the CRPF, and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The encounter took place in snow-covered, densely forested terrain, where Army helicopters were deployed to track fleeing terrorists. A significant cache of arms, ammunition, and explosives was recovered from the site.

Brigadier JVS Rathi, commander of 5 Sector Assam Rifles, and DIG Shridhar Patil of the Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban range will brief the media on the operation at the Assam Rifles headquarters on Saturday.

Simultaneous anti-terror operations are underway in Udhampur and Kishtwar, amid reports that the terrorists are part of a larger group that infiltrated through the international border in Kathua’s Hiranagar sector.

In a disturbing incident on Wednesday night, three armed terrorists, believed to be from Jaish-e-Mohammad, broke into a villager’s home in Basantgarh, Udhampur. The intruders consumed food, took a mobile phone, clothes, shoes, a bag, and an umbrella before fleeing.

This follows a similar incident on April 3 in Majalta block, where two terrorists entered a home in Chore Panjwa-Khabbal, held a family hostage, and looted food and a phone.

Security forces have been tracking these militants since March 23, when they were first sighted in Saniyal village, Hiranagar. On March 27, two terrorists and four policemen were killed in a fierce gunfight in Sufain forest, Kathua district.

Meanwhile, in another escalation, the Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control in the Keri Battal sector of Akhnoor on Friday night. Indian troops responded strongly, but JCO Kuldeep Singh sustained a bullet injury and later succumbed at a military hospital.

The Army is expected to release an official statement on the incident soon.