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Encounter in J&K's Kishtwar after 3 Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists open fire at security personnel
The gunfight started during a cordon and search operation at village Sonnar near Mandral-Singhoora in Chatroo area around noon.
An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in the Singhpora area of Kishtwar district in J&K on Sunday, police said. Intermittent firing is going on as three terrorists of the Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit are likely engaged in the gunbattle who also lobbed grenades at the security personnel, it is learnt.
Eight security personnel were injured in the gun battle, news agency PTI reported, citing officials. Most of them suffered injuries in the grenade blast and were evacuated to a hospital for treatment.
According to officials, the gunfight started during a cordon and search operation, named Operation Trashi - I by Army's Jammu-based White Knight Corps, in Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhoora in Chatroo area around noon. Additional forces were rushed to the area.
“Troops displayed exceptional professionalism and resolve while responding to hostile fire under challenging terrain and conditions. Operations remain underway with additional forces inducted to reinforce the cordon, supported by close coordination with civil administration and security agencies,” army told HT.
Multiple encounters have broken out in the region over the past few months. On January 8, an encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in J&K's Kathua district.
In November 2025 in Kishtwar's Chatroo, an encounter broke out between terrorists and security personnel after the J&K Police, assisted by the Indian Army, launched a joint operation in the area based on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists, PTI reported. The coordinated search operation was initiated during the early morning hours, following which the security forces came under fire, leading to an exchange of gunfire. district.
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According to officials, the encounter began after the Jammu and Kashmir Police, assisted by the Indian Army, launched a joint operation in the Chhatru area based on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists. The coordinated search operation was initiated during the early morning hours, following which the security forces came under fire, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
The mountainous districts of Kishtwar and Doda in the Jammu region and around and an army official last month told HT that 35 Pakistani terrorists are believed to be hiding in mountain forests. The army also started a new counterterror strategy in the region with the new approach focusing on intensifying operations in the snow-clad higher reaches to curb terror activities as terrorists may have found safe haven there, instead of the traditional practice of cutting down on operational activities in the coldest phase of winter, or ‘chillai kalan’ in Kashmiri.
An officials told HT that thermal imaging devices and unmanned aerial systems have proved invaluable for night operations and in terrain where conventional scouting is hazardous. "This infusion of technology, combined with the army’s deep familiarity with the geography, allows for quick adaptation to evolving ground realities and ensures that no zone remains unmonitored,” the official told HT.
With inputs from Ravi Krishnan Khajuria
