A fresh gunfight erupted in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday, May 22, resulting in the death of a jawan and the elimination of two terrorists in an ongoing operation in the Singhpora area of Chatroo. The encounter, which began at 7 a.m., is part of a larger counter-terrorism effort known as ‘Operation Trashi’, being jointly conducted by multiple security agencies.
The Indian Army’s White Knight Corps confirmed the ongoing operation and stated that additional troops have been mobilised to the area. Containment measures have been put in place to neutralise any remaining threats, and all entry and exit routes to the encounter site have been sealed off as a precautionary measure.
The joint team executing the operation includes elite Para SF troops, 11 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), 7th Assam Rifles, and the Special Operations Group (SOG) Kishtwar. Initial intelligence reports suggest that a group of three to four terrorists, including a militant named Saifullah, were hiding in the dense forests of Chatroo.
This recent encounter follows a series of successful anti-terror offensives in Jammu and Kashmir. Just a week ago, security forces eliminated three Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operatives in an operation in Nadir village, Tral, in Pulwama district. The three militants were identified as Asif Ahmed Sheikh, Amir Nazir Wani, and Yawar Ahmad Bhat, all residents of Pulwama.
Prior to that, on April 13, three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in Zinpather Keller, Shopian. Among the slain militants were Shahid Kuttay and Adnan Shafi, both from Shopian.
These intensified operations come in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. This incident prompted a renewed crackdown on militancy across the Union Territory, including demolition drives targeting properties linked to active and former militants.
