Kishtwar: Security forces on Monday restarted a large-scale search operation in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, a day after a brief but intense encounter left eight soldiers injured during an exchange with suspected terrorists.
Officials said the operation resumed at first light after being paused overnight due to difficult terrain and low visibility. The search is focused on the forested areas around Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhpora in the Chatroo sector, where security personnel came under attack on Sunday.
According to authorities, the injured soldiers sustained splinter wounds after terrorists, believed to be hiding in dense vegetation, hurled a grenade during the operation. The gunfight forced troops to temporarily suspend movement late Sunday night as steep slopes and thick undergrowth hampered visibility and manoeuvrability.
Multiple teams from the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and paramilitary forces have now been redeployed in the area. The cordon has been tightened, with aerial surveillance drones and sniffer dogs assisting ground units to prevent any escape routes, officials said.
Intelligence inputs suggest that a small group of two to three militants, suspected to be linked to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit, may be trapped in the region. However, no fresh exchange of fire had been reported at the time of filing this report.
The Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps, which is leading the operation under the codename Operation Trashi-I, said the troops had established contact with terrorists during a joint search mission with the local police. In a statement shared on social media, the Army said additional forces had been inducted to reinforce the area and praised personnel for maintaining composure under hostile conditions.
This latest incident is the third such confrontation between security forces and militants in the Jammu region this year. Earlier encounters were reported in the forest areas of Kahog and Najote in Kathua’s Billawar sector earlier in January.
The region has remained on high alert since December last year, when a major counter-terror drive was launched across forest belts to neutralize militants believed to be operating in the area. On December 15, a police officer was killed during an encounter in Udhampur district, after which the attackers managed to flee under the cover of darkness.
Security measures have been further strengthened ahead of Republic Day celebrations, amid inputs warning of renewed infiltration attempts from across the border. Officials said operations will continue until the area is fully sanitised.
