E-Paper
Kathua encounter: Pakistani JeM terrorist shot dead, US-made M4 carbine recovered
The terrorist has been identified as Usman of Pakistan. Security forces have recovered US made M4 carbine and some arms and ammunition from him.
A Pakistani terrorist linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on Friday, police said.
The encounter took place in the Billawar area, where security forces launched a joint operation to neutralise the terrorists, said Jammu range inspector general of police Bhim Sen Tuti.
Kathua senior superintendent of police Mohita Sharma said, “The eliminated terrorist has been identified as Usman of Pakistan. Security forces have recovered US made M4 carbine and some arms and ammunition from him.”
Also Read | 10 soldiers killed as army vehicle falls into gorge in J&K’s Doda
“Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint operation was launched by army and police on January 23, 2026, in the general area Parhetar, #Kathua. Area was Cordoned and contact established. In a precise strike by the joint forces, 1 Foreign Terrorist has been eliminated. Search operations are continuing,” stated Army’s Rising Star Corps.
The slain terrorist had recently got separated from his group during an encounter in Basantgarh area and had been moving solo since then, said officials. “Today, we got a credible input that to get food, he would come to a Dhok. Security forces eliminated him in a clinical operation that lasted barely 10 minutes. However, we have been searching him since long,” said the officials.
Also Read | Kishtwar terror hideout: Several locals quizzed, search ops enter Day 3
This is the fourth major encounter in the Jammu region this month, following gunfights in Kathua’s Billawar area on January 7 and 13. Security has been significantly heightened across the forest belts of Kishtwar, Doda, and Udhampur in the run-up to Republic Day, amid intelligence inputs of Pakistan-based handlers attempting to push more terrorists into the region.
According to intelligence agencies, around 30 to 35 terrorists, mostly Pakistanis, are active in upper reaches of Jammu region. “They are being constantly hunted down by the security forces, especially army as part of winter strategy,” said intel sources.
Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi had said that 31 terrorists were eliminated in J&K in 2025, out of which 65% were of Pakistani origin. He also has said that the active local terrorists were now in single digits.
