Jammu: At least eight Indian Army soldiers were injured during a fierce gunfight with terrorists in the remote forest area of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, officials said.
The encounter erupted in the upper reaches of Kishtwar when security forces established contact with terrorists during a search operation. The Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps said the operation, code-named Operation Trashi-I, began around Sunday noon.
According to officials, the exchange of fire between the two sides continued for several hours. Additional troops were rushed to the area to strengthen the cordon and prevent the terrorists from escaping.
In a post on X, the White Knight Corps said the contact was established in the general area of Sonnar, northeast of Chatroo, during a joint counter-terror search operation conducted by the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
“Operations are underway with additional forces inducted to reinforce the cordon. Close coordination is being maintained with civil administration and other security agencies,” the Army said, praising the troops for their professionalism and resolve while responding to hostile fire in difficult terrain and weather conditions.
Officials said one of the search parties encountered a group of two to three foreign terrorists, believed to be linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). The terrorists allegedly opened indiscriminate fire and hurled grenades in an attempt to break the security cordon.
The troops retaliated effectively, following which reinforcements from the Army, CRPF, and local police were deployed to further tighten the cordon. Intermittent firing between the two sides was reported until around 5.40 pm, officials added.
The injured soldiers were evacuated to a hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. Most of them sustained splinter injuries caused by grenade explosions, officials said.
A large-scale search operation is currently underway to track down and neutralise the terrorists. Drones, advanced surveillance equipment, and sniffer dogs have been pressed into service to intensify the operation.
This is the third encounter between security forces and terrorists in the Jammu region this year. Earlier, encounters were reported in the Kahog and Najote forests of Kathua district’s Billawar area on January 7 and January 13.
Last month, on December 15, a police officer was killed during an encounter with terrorists in Soan village of the Majalta area in Udhampur district, where the terrorists managed to escape under the cover of dense foliage and darkness.
Officials said counter-terror operations have been further intensified ahead of Republic Day, amid intelligence inputs suggesting renewed attempts by Pakistan-based handlers to push terrorists into the region.
Also Read: Bomb Threat on Delhi–Bagdogra IndiGo Flight Forces Emergency Landing in Lucknow