Two para commandos go missing in Kashmir's Anantnag forests

Srinagar: Two para commandos of the Indian Army reportedly went missing on Tuesday night during a combing operation in the dense Gadool forests of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, triggering a massive search effort involving aerial reconnaissance, ground troops, and assistance from local communities.

According to official sources, the soldiers were part of a cordon-and-search operation launched late Tuesday based on specific intelligence inputs about terrorists movement in the area. The operation was hit by heavy rainfall and poor visibility, and contact with the two commandos was lost shortly thereafter.

“A large-scale rescue and search effort has been initiated. Local Gujjar and Bakarwal residents, who are familiar with the terrain, have joined the ground teams,” an official said. “Choppers and drones are also being used to scan the forested stretches.”

The Army has maintained that the soldiers may have lost communication due to adverse weather and difficult topography. However, the operation remains on high alert given the area’s history of terror activity.

The Gadool region has been a hotspot of counter-terror operations in recent years, with multiple encounters taking place between security forces and heavily armed terrorists. Intelligence officials say the rugged forested belt in south Kashmir — stretching through Kokernag and adjoining hills — has become a tactical hideout for small groups of highly trained foreign militants, particularly those affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

These infiltrated terrorists, often described by security agencies as battle-hardened fighters with experience in cross-border skirmishes, are believed to be equipped with advanced weaponry, night-vision devices, and sophisticated communication tools. Their familiarity with forest warfare allows them to exploit the difficult terrain, using natural cover and weather conditions to their advantage.

Since 2021, forested areas of Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a series of prolonged gunfights in which Army officers, including senior personnel, have been killed — underlining the evolving nature of militant engagements in Kashmir.

Security experts believe these encounters mark a shift from the earlier trend of urban or semi-urban shootouts to prolonged forest battles, where visibility, mobility, and survival depend heavily on training and endurance.

The search for the missing commandos in Gadool entered its second day on Wednesday, with multiple teams combing through thick vegetation and high ridges. “The focus right now is to locate soldiers safely,” a police official said. “The area remains under tight cordon, and all possible scenarios are being considered.”