Jammu, Feb. 24 -- Relentless and painstaking high-altitude joint operations conducted over the last 326 days in Jammu & Kashmir's Kishtwar district paid off with the neutralisation of seven dreaded terrorists, including top Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander Saifullah, the army said on Monday, adding the operation has dealt a massive blow to the terror network. "A major terror group operating in the area was being relentlessly pursued by security forces," General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Counter-Insurgency Force (CIF) Delta, Major General APS Bal said. "Operations were launched in April- May last year and were sustained despite heavy rains and snow during winters." The comments came a day after JeM commander Saifullah and two other Pakistani terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kishtwar. "Relentless and painstaking high-altitude joint operations were conducted over 326 days in the Kishtwar region. Forces tracked terrorists in challenging conditions of cold, wet and freezing weather across daunting terrain, leading to multiple contacts," the army's White Knight Corps said on X. "A massive blow to the terror network." The GOC said that security forces' first contact with the group resulted in the elimination of three terrorists in April last year. However, the last of the group, led by Saifullah along with his close associate Adil and two others, survived and were on the run. "Based on the collaborative assessment of intelligence provided by J&K Police, Intelligence Bureau and our own sources, a joint counter-terror operation along with JKP and CRPF, codenamed Operation Trashi-I, was launched on January 14 this year in the Chatroo area to track and neutralise these terrorists," Major General Bal said. "The final encounter site in which three terrorists were successfully neutralised on steep slopes of a rugged mountain was cordoned by the security forces during the intervening night the February 21-22," he added. Dubbed the "Israel Group", IGP (Jammu Zone) Bhim Sen Tuti said that it was a "hardcore terrorist module that inflicted significant damage on security forces and also caused harm to civilians". "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 added....