Jammu, Feb. 4 -- Three Pakistani terrorists affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) were killed in two separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar and Udhampur districts, marking a major success for security forces who had been hunting them for the past three weeks, officials said.
While one terrorist was killed in a gunfight in the snow-bound Chatroo belt of Kishtwar on Wednesday evening, two others -- both self-styled JeM commanders - were neutralised this morning after they were trapped inside a natural cave in Udhampur district, the officials said.
The success of security forces came ahead of Union Home minister Amit Shah's three-day visit to the Union Territory beginning Thursday.
"In the continuing search and elimination of terrorists in the Kishtwar region, where the hunt has already led to several contacts in the dense forests and challenging terrain, a contact was re-established with the terrorists on the run in the ongoing joint operation (Trashi-I) by the troops of Counter-Insurgency Force Delta, White Knight Corps, J&K Police and CRPF at around 5.45 pm today in the general area of Dichhar, Kishtwar.
"One terrorist has been successfully neutralised. Operation is in progress," Army's White Knight Corps said in a post on X.
In Udhampur, two Pakistani terrorists, identified as Rubani alias Abu Mavia and his close associate Zubair, were gunned down in a 20-hour-long operation after they were trapped in a cave on Tuesday evening. Several powerful blasts were heard when the forces stormed the cave on Wednesday.
While body of one of the terrorists was found lying on the mouth of the cave, another was found lying deep inside it.
The terrorists were located by joint troops of the Army, police and CRPF amid intensified search operations in the higher reaches of Ramnagar-Basantgarh area around 4 pm on Tuesday, leading to a fierce gunfight, the officials said.
The Army named the over 20-hour-long operation as "Kiya" and said though it is over, the area still remains under surveillance.
"Based on specific intelligence input provided by police, troops of Counter-Insurgency Force Delta, White Knight Corps planned and executed a focused joint counter-terror operation in the general area of Jophar Forest, Basantgarh in coordination with police and CRPF reinforcing the cordon, ensuring effective area domination to prevent escape of terrorists.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.