Two terrorists have been killed in an ongoing army operation in the snow-covered Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, the army said on Saturday. One terrorist had already been killed the day before.

According to official sources, the terrorists killed on Saturday were members of the Pakistan-based group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). Among them was a top commander named Saifullah, who had been active in the Chenab valley region for the past year. "In the ongoing operations at Chhatru, Kishtwar, despite bad and inclement weather, two more Pakistani terrorists have been eliminated. A large quantity of war-like stores including one AK and one M4 rifle have been recovered," the Army's Jammu-based White Knight Corps said in a post on X. Officials said that the encounter in Kishtwar began during a planned search operation based on intelligence inputs. The operation was carried out jointly by the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Chatru forest area of the district. During the search, the security forces came in contact with the terrorists.

"The terrorists were effectively engaged, and a firefight ensued. One terrorist has been neutralised so far," the Army's White Knight Corps or 16 Corps, said in a post on X. "Despite hostile terrain and adverse weather, our brave soldiers continue relentless operations," it said. Special forces entered high-snow areas and difficult terrains to chase down one terrorist, while a few others are still on the run, facing heavy pressure from security forces, according to officials. A brief gunfight took place with the terrorists in the Naidgam area of Chatru on Wednesday, after which a large-scale search operation was started. The terrorist who was killed is believed to be part of the Saifullah module from Pakistan, though officials have not yet confirmed this. This same Saifullah module had attacked an Army team in Doda on July 15, 2024, killing an officer and a rifleman. 

Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General M V Suchindra Kumar praised the soldiers for quickly dealing with the terrorists and assured that the Army is fully committed to keeping the area free from terrorism. "Lt Gen M V Suchindra Kumar, Army Commander, Northern Command, commends the White Knight Corps for their swift action and precise execution in neutralising one terrorist in the ongoing operation in Kishtwar," the Northern Command said in a post on X. Security forces have increased surveillance in the high-altitude areas of Bhaderwah in Doda district, as officials say that the melting snow in the upper meadows during summer makes it easier for infiltrators to enter. Troops, with the help of helicopters and drones, are keeping a close watch on the high-altitude regions that connect Kishtwar, Udhampur, and Kathua districts.

In the last 19 days, there have been five encounters in the mountainous areas of Kathua, Udhampur, and Kishtwar. These clashes led to the death of three terrorists and four police personnel, while three police personnel and a girl were injured. Search efforts resumed on Friday in the Jopher-Marta forests of Udhampur district, officials said. Several security agencies are thoroughly searching the forest area using sniffer dogs and aerial surveillance to find three terrorists believed to be hiding there, they added. To stop the terrorists from escaping, night-time cordons have been set up in the region, according to officials. Earlier on Wednesday, police and other security forces came in contact with the terrorists during a search operation in the Jopher-Marta area under the Ramnagar police station, which led to an encounter. "Two to three terrorists are believed to be trapped," said Senior Superintendent of Police Amod Ashok Nagpure. Three encounters happened in Kathua district, while one each took place in Udhampur and Kishtwar districts. Officials said that security has been tightened along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, with people being frisked and vehicles thoroughly checked.