Eight soldiers injured in Kishtwar gun battle, hunt on for 2-3 terrorists

At least eight soldiers were injured in a gunfight with terrorists in the Chhatru forest area of Kishtwar on Sunday, officials said. According to reports, three of the injured personnel were airlifted to an Army hospital after sustaining serious wounds.

This is the third encounter between the security forces and terrorists in the Jammu region this year. Earlier, gunfights took place on January 7 and 13 in the Billawar area of Kathua district.

Officials said the Army rushed reinforcements to the Chhatru area and launched aerial surveillance after establishing contact with terrorists suspected to be from the banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). Two to three Pakistani terrorists are believed to be in the area. Search operations were continuing when last reports came in.

The Army launched “Operation Trashi-1” after receiving intelligence about the presence of terrorists in the Singhpura area, which is marked by difficult terrain and dense forest.

“Contact was established with terrorists in the general area of Son Nar, northeast of Chhatru, during a search operation conducted as part of ongoing joint counter-terror operations with the J&K Police,” the Nagrota-based White Knight Corps said in a statement. “Operations remain underway, with additional forces inducted to reinforce the cordon, supported by close coordination with local administration and security agencies,” it added.

Special forces of the Army, troops from 17 and 11 Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the J&K Police are involved in the operation. Officials said the terrorists were heavily armed with modern weaponry and trained in jungle warfare, and may have used grenades against security forces, causing serious injuries.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is managing the outer cordon. The Army said helicopters were being used for surveillance and additional troops had been deployed to strengthen the cordon.

In recent months, multiple encounters have taken place in the Chhatru belt of Kishtwar district, an area that offers dense cover and natural caves used as hideouts. Officials also reported the presence of overground workers (OGWs) in the region who provide food and other supplies to terrorists.