Massive blow to terror network: Army on elimination of three terrorists in Kishtwar

Jammu: The Army on Monday termed the killing of three Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar a "massive blow to the terror network”, and said it was the culmination of a relentless, high-altitude joint operation conducted over 326 days in extremely challenging terrain.

Three members of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit, including its self-styled commander, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kishtwar on Sunday.

They said army troops, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force tracked the terrorists in extremely hostile conditions.

“Troops of White Knight Corps, police and CRPF, based on a well-knit intelligence grid established by civil and military intelligence agencies, have finally eliminated all seven dreaded terrorists in Chatroo belt of Kishtwar (in several operations during last near one year),” the White Knight Corps said in a post on X.

It described the outcome as a “massive blow to the terror network” in the region.

“Relentless and painstaking high-altitude joint operations were conducted over 326 days in the Kishtwar region. Forces tracked terrorists in challenging conditions of cold, wet and freezing weather across daunting terrain, leading to multiple contacts,” the Corps said.

It said that technology was continuously leveraged to assist the operations. “Technology in the form of FPV drones, satellite imagery, Remotely Piloted Aircraft System and UAVs, communication was continuously leveraged to assist in operations,” the Army said.

Preliminary assessments by security agencies suggest that one of the three terrorists killed on Sunday was Saifullah, a self-styled JeM commander who had allegedly infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir nearly five years ago.

He is believed to have masterminded several deadly attacks on security forces, including an attack in July 2024 in which four soldiers were killed.

“The relentless pursuit and resolve of our forces, culminating in the elimination of Saifullah and his associates, proves that nothing can stand against the determination, courage and valour of our men in uniform and intelligence agencies,” the Army said.

Earlier, on February 4, one terrorist was eliminated in the snow-bound Chatroo belt of Kishtwar.

In another operation between April 11 and 12 last year, three Pakistani terrorists were killed in encounters with security forces in the hilly forest area of Kishtwar district as part of intensified efforts to dismantle terror networks in the upper reaches of the Jammu region.

Officials said a series of encounters were also reported during 2025, during which some members of the group managed to escape.