JAMMU: A search operation, which has been underway to neutralise three holed-up Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists in Kishtwar, has been narrowed down to a specific area following an encounter on Saturday morning, officials said.
The gunfight began when army troops re-established contact with the terrorists in Kishtwar district early Saturday, according to officials.
Kishtwar has seen six encounters in the past seven months as forces continue their crackdown on Pakistan-based terrorists operating in the region, which shares borders with Doda and Udhampur districts.
Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma visited Kishtwar district to review the counter-terrorism grid and commended the troops for their unwavering resolve in the ongoing efforts.
“During the ongoing joint Operation Trashi-I, contact with terrorists was re-established in the early hours of January 31 in the general area of Dolgam by troops of the White Knight Corps, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and CRPF,” the White Knight Corps said on X.
The army noted that intelligence inputs from various sources were coordinated to plan and execute the operation on the ground. “A cordon has been established, and operations are in progress,” it said.
According to reports, the joint operation team sighted three JeM terrorists in the snowbound high-altitude area of Dolgam, resulting in an exchange of fire.
One terrorist is believed to have been injured, the reports indicate, adding that drone surveillance purportedly shows bloodstains from the injured terrorists.
This marks the fourth time in the past two weeks that contact has been established with terrorists in the area.
The ongoing anti-terror operation in the snowbound Chatroo-Dolgam-Dichhar belt to track down and neutralise a group of three holed-up Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists has been underway for the past few days.
To prevent misuse by anti-national elements during the operation, mobile internet services have been temporarily suspended since Friday within a six-kilometre radius covering Singhpora, Chingam, and Chatroo.
The operation in the area was launched on January 18, leading to a fierce gunbattle in the Sonnar forest near Mandral-Singhpora, resulting in the killing of a paratrooper and injuries to seven soldiers.
Although the terrorists managed to escape, benefiting from thick vegetation and challenging terrain, security forces continued their pursuit despite more than two feet of snowfall.
Two more encounters between the army and the terrorists occurred at Mali Dana Top on January 22 and Janseer-Kandiwar on January 25, but the terrorists once again slipped deep into the forested area.
The visit of the army commander to the mountainous district comes after a high-level security review of the evolving security dynamics in the Jammu region, with a focus on strengthening the counter-terrorism grid on Thursday, officials said.
“Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander Northern Command, visited Kishtwar today to review the counter-terrorism grid and operational preparedness,” Northern Command Headquarters said on X.
The army commander, while interacting with ground commanders and troops, commended them for their unwavering resolve in the ongoing efforts.
On Thursday, the Northern Army commander chaired a high-level security meeting in Jammu and reviewed the evolving security dynamics in the Jammu region, with a focus on strengthening the counter-terrorism grid, officials said.
