JAMMU: A suspected Pakistani terrorist was killed in an ongoing operation in the snow-bound higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district Wednesday evening, officials said.
This was the fifth encounter in Chatroo belt over the past 18 days as the Army and police continued their search for a group of terrorists affiliated with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit.
“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.
The officials said the latest encounter started when a joint search party were carrying out searches in Sanjinala-Dichhar in Chingam forest.
Despite the whole Chatroo belt being snow-bound, the Army continued their pursuit of the terrorists following the first gunfight which took place in Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhpora on January 18, leading to the death of a paratrooper and injuries to seven other soldiers.
However, the terrorists managed their escape taking advantage of thick vegetation and challenging topography but were again intercepted a few kilometers away from the scene of the first encounter on January 22.
The success again eluded the forces but they continued their search for the terrorists even as the area recorded more than two feet of snowfall, resulting in two more gunfights on January 26 and 31, the officials said. (PTI)