Security Forces Kill Jaish-e-Mohammed Terrorist in Kathua, Search Operations Continue

Security forces killed a terrorist in a joint operation in Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday, police said, with search operations continuing in the area. The slain militant, identified as Usman, was affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group.

The operation took place in the Billawar area after intelligence inputs prompted a cordon by the Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir police. Contact was established with the terrorist, who was neutralised in a precise strike.

“A Pakistani Jaish terrorist has been neutralised by a small JKP team in a joint operation with the Army and CRPF in the general area of Billawar, Kathua district,” said Jammu Inspector General of Police BS Tuti.

The encounter comes after a brief lull in the region. On Thursday, a soldier was injured during a fresh gunfight with Jaish militants in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district. “A brief gunfight broke out in Arigam Dwathar near Singpura in Chatroo. A soldier was injured and airlifted to Command Hospital in Udhampur,” a senior police officer said, adding that reinforcements had been rushed to the area.

Earlier, on January 18-19, a Special Forces commando, Havildar Gajendra Singh of Uttarakhand, and eight soldiers were injured in a fierce encounter in the same area. Following that, security forces launched extensive search operations, which led to Friday’s operation in Arigam Dwathar, about 200 metres from Sonnar in Singpura. Two to three JeM terrorists are believed to remain trapped in the area.

Meanwhile, a cordon and search operation (CASO) was also launched in the Akhnoor border area after locals reported spotting three to four suspected militants in the Sumah region.

Thursday’s clash marked the fourth encounter between security forces and militants in Jammu this year, with Friday’s Kathua operation being the fifth.