KISHTWAR, J&K: A fierce gunbattle broke out on Thursday morning between security forces and terrorists in the Singhpora area of Chatroo, located in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district. According to local reports, at least three terrorists are believed to be trapped in the ongoing encounter.
This clash follows a series of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Just days earlier, on May 7, India conducted precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This action was met with an attempted retaliatory attack by Pakistan on Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. India responded strongly, and military actions eventually de-escalated following talks between the directors-general of military operations of both nations on May 10.
The current operation, named Operation Sindoor, was launched by India in response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists.
Six Terrorists Killed in Three Days
In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, security forces intensified their anti-terror operations, focusing on specific areas in south Kashmir. In the last week, they successfully eliminated six terrorists over three days.
VK Birdi, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, noted that the coordination between various security agencies played a crucial role in these successful operations. He described the neutralization of six terrorists in the operations conducted in Shopian and Pulwama as “significant achievements.”
The two operations took place in the Keller area of Shopian and the Nadar area of Tral in Pulwama on May 13 and May 15, respectively. In both cases, three terrorists were killed during intense gunfights.
Challenges in the Operations
Major General Dhananjay Joshi, GOC Victor Force, provided further details about the anti-terror operations in Keller and Tral. He highlighted the challenges security forces faced in protecting civilian villagers while engaging with terrorists.
“On May 12, we received information about a possible terrorist group in the higher reaches of Keller. On May 13, upon detecting some movement, our forces confronted the terrorists, who retaliated with gunfire. Our teams successfully neutralized them,” said Major General Joshi.
He further elaborated on the second operation in Tral, which took place in a border village. “As we were establishing a cordon around the village, the terrorists positioned themselves in various houses and opened fire. One of the significant challenges we faced was ensuring the safety and evacuation of the civilian villagers. Ultimately, three terrorists were neutralized,” he added.
The ongoing security operations continue as forces work to neutralize remaining threats in the region.
