Two Jaish-linked militants killed in encounter in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar (The Uttam Hindu): Security forces achieved a major success in the remote Chatroo area of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir after two militants linked to the Pakistan-backed organization Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed in an encounter on Sunday.

According to the Army, the operation was carried out under “Operation Trashi-I” in the Paserakut area, where both militants were neutralized. Two AK-47 rifles along with arms and ammunition were recovered from their possession.

Security agencies stated that the joint operation was launched based on credible intelligence inputs received from Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Intelligence Bureau, and other intelligence sources. The objective was to identify and eliminate militants active in the region.

The Army’s White Knight Corps said that after the initial contact, troops of the Counter-Intelligence Force (CIF) Delta, along with police and the Central Reserve Police Force, re-engaged the militants in the difficult terrain around 11 a.m. on Sunday. Following a coordinated and strategic response, security forces took control of the encounter site and eliminated both militants.

Preliminary reports suggest that the two slain militants were Pakistani nationals associated with the banned JeM outfit. They were hiding in a temporary structure at the foothills. When the search team approached, the militants opened fire, prompting retaliatory action in which both were killed.

Officials confirmed that search operations are still underway in the area. Notably, around half a dozen encounters took place last month in the forests of Chatroo, resulting in the death of one soldier and one militant.

With Sunday’s action, the number of JeM militants killed by security forces in separate operations across the Jammu region this year has risen to six. Earlier, two militants were neutralized in Udhampur and one in Kathua district.