Jammu, Feb 23: Inspector General of Police (Jammu Zone) Bhim Sen Tuti said on Monday that in a joint operation, security forces have neutralised a seven-member Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror module, dubbed the “Israel Group”, bringing an end to a year-and-a-half-long operation in the Kishtwar belt of Jammu and Kashmir.
Three members of the module, including its self-styled commander, Saifullah, were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Kishtwar district on Sunday.
“The group of seven JeM terrorists had infiltrated into Indian territory in April 2024. Since then, this group was engaged on 17 different occasions. Over the last year and a half, we have successfully neutralised all of them. Sunday marked the culmination of this year-and-a-half-long operation,” the IGP told reporters at Kishtwar.
Describing the module as a “hardcore terrorist group”, he said, “The group was known as the Israel Group. It was a hardcore terrorist module that inflicted significant damage on security forces and also caused harm to civilians.”
Tuti said acting on precise intelligence, the last three members of the group, including Saifullah, were neutralised in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar.
The IGP asserted that the campaign against terror would continue.
“This operation will continue. Our pursuit is long and in the coming time, we expect more successful operations. This fight will continue until the entire terror network is completely dismantled,” he said.
Meanwhile, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Counter-Insurgency Force Delta, Major General A P S Bal, issued a stern warning to anti-national elements, saying they would be identified and neutralised wherever they are.
“My message to anti-national elements is clear — anyone who is an enemy of the nation, wherever they may be and in whatever form, will be identified, targeted and neutralised,” he told reporters in Kishtwar.
The officer asserted that intelligence-based operations would continue with sustained momentum.
“To the Awam, I want to say — no matter how grave the challenges are, our courage will never diminish. Whatever we have achieved has been possible because of the support of every single person in the region,” he said.
The GOC said recent successes in anti-terror operations are the results of months of sustained and coordinated efforts by security forces. “We have been collectively working on this for months. Despite challenges of terrain, rain, snowfall and landslides, operations were carried out relentlessly,” he said.
The GOC highlighted the extraordinary coordination among the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), stating that seamless collaboration at every level ensured operational success even in confined and rugged areas.
“We were conscious that such prolonged operations can lead to fatigue among the troops. Therefore, we had planned in a manner that ensured adequate rotation of forces. We always had sufficient troops in the reserve — either to be air-dropped by helicopters or to move on foot across extremely difficult terrain. Sometimes it would take six to eight hours to reach a location, but we ensured that we got there.”
The JeM module was under pursuit since April-May last year. Three of its members — all hardcore terrorists — were eliminated in April 2025, while the remaining members – including Saifullah, Adil and two others — were on the run, the GOC said.
Based on intelligence inputs from police, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and other sources, a joint counter-terrorist operation, codenamed Operation Trashi-I, was launched on January 14 in the Chhatroo area by CIF Delta troops under the aegis of White Knight Corps. Contact with the terrorists was established on January 18 and their well-stocked hideout was busted, the GOC added.
Relentless pursuit led to the elimination of one terrorist, codenamed Adil, on February 4, he said.
The security forces re-engaged the remaining terrorists at around 11 am on February 22. The final encounter site, located on steep mountain slopes, was cordoned off on the intervening night of February 21 and 22. In the ensuing operation, the three hardcore terrorists were eliminated, completing the dismantling of the group, the GOC said.
He said the large-scale operation showcased high tactical precision, real-time drone surveillance, the use of night-vision equipment and swift mobilisation of reinforcements, including special forces. He added that despite harsh weather and challenging terrain, there was no casualty among the security personnel.
Major General Bal also made a special mention of Army-trained dog Tyson, who was injured after the terrorists opened fire. Tyson was deployed to verify the presence of the ultras inside the “dhok” (hut).
“The injured elite German Shepherd, who was the first to charge at the terrorist hideout and sustained a bullet injury in the exchange of fire, was immediately airlifted for medical treatment and is reported to be safe and stable,” an official said.
During the search operations, war-like stores, including three AK-47 rifles, were seized.
The operations were conducted on both extremes of the area of responsibility – one in the Udhampur sector and the other in the Kishtwar sector.
The IGP said action would be taken against those who supported the terrorists.
“Those who provided shelter and support to this group will soon see decisive action against them as well. In the coming days, you will witness how firmly we act against their collaborators,” he said, adding that the efforts to dismantle the terror ecosystem would be intensified.
“More operations are in the pipeline and you will see the results for yourselves,” he said.
The IGP said there are only three local terrorists in Kishtwar district now. “These are the same three individuals who have been active in the region for nearly two decades. During 2018, 2019 and 2020, some new recruits had joined terror ranks, but all of them have been neutralised,” he added.
Tuti appreciated the public support for the success of the operations. “I believe the society is not supporting them. Otherwise, such successful operations would not have been possible. Most of the intelligence inputs we receive come through civilians. The public stands with us, the public stands with India and these terrorists will never succeed in their nefarious designs,” he asserted.
