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New Delhi: At least seven soldiers were injured during an encounter with terrorists in the rugged terrain of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, NDTV reported quoting sources.
The troops were conducting a counter-terror operation in the Chatroo area when they came under fire from militants, prompting immediate retaliation. The injured personnel were evacuated to a hospital, officials added.
The operation, launched around noon, has been codenamed Operation Trashi-I by the White Knight Corps of the Indian Army.
In a post on X, the White Knight Corps said security forces established contact with terrorists in the general area of Sonnar, northeast of Chatroo, during a deliberate search operation carried out as part of ongoing joint counter-terror exercises with the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
“Operations remain underway with additional forces inducted to reinforce the cordon, supported by close coordination with civil administration and security agencies,” the army said, commending the troops for their exceptional professionalism and resolve while responding to hostile fire under challenging terrain and conditions.
Officials said one of the search teams encountered a group of two to three foreign terrorists, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). The militants reportedly opened indiscriminate fire and hurled grenades in an attempt to break the cordon.
The troops returned fire, while reinforcements from the army, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police were rushed to further tighten the cordon. Intermittent firing continued for some time, officials said.
To accelerate the operation, security forces have deployed advanced surveillance equipment, including drones, along with sniffer dogs.
This was the third encounter involving terrorists and security forces in the Jammu region this year. Earlier gunfights were reported in the Kahog and Najote forests of Kathua district’s Billawar area on January 7 and January 13.
On December 15 last year, a police officer was killed during an encounter with terrorists in Udhampur district. The militants managed to escape by taking advantage of dense foliage and darkness.
The recent encounters come in the wake of a major counter-terror operation launched across forested areas of the Jammu region in December to flush out nearly three dozen terrorists believed to be hiding there. Security measures have since been intensified ahead of Republic Day, amid intelligence inputs warning of renewed attempts by Pakistan-based handlers to push more terrorists across, officials said.
