Conspiracy on Republic Day? Major operation against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, 8 soldiers injured

Jammu: Eight soldiers were injured on Sunday in an encounter between security forces and terrorists in a remote forest area of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. The officials said that heavy firing continued between the two sides for several hours. They added that the firing has now stopped. 

What did the Indian Army say? 

According to officials, additional forces have been deployed to strengthen the cordon and neutralize the terrorists. The operation, codenamed ‘Operation Trashi-1’, launched by the Indian Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps, began in the afternoon.

The White Knight Corps stated in a statement on social media that during a search operation as part of a joint counter-terrorism operation with the Jammu and Kashmir Police, security forces encountered terrorists in the Sonar area northeast of Chatroo.

“Additional forces have been deployed to strengthen the cordon, and the operation is continuing in close coordination with the civil administration and security agencies,” the Indian Army said. 

The Indian Army commended the soldiers for displaying exceptional professionalism and resolve while responding to the firing in challenging terrain and circumstances.

How did the encounter start?

Officials said that a search party encountered two to three foreign terrorists, allegedly belonging to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. They said that these terrorists opened indiscriminate fire and threw grenades in an attempt to break the cordon and escape. The security forces retaliated, and additional personnel from the Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and police were rushed to the spot to further tighten the cordon. They said that intermittent firing continued between the two sides until 5:40 pm.

What were the casualties?

Officials said that eight soldiers were injured during the encounter and were taken to the hospital. They said that most of the injured sustained splinter injuries from grenade blasts. Officials said advanced surveillance equipment, including drones and sniffer dogs, have been deployed to intensify the operation. This is the third encounter between security forces and terrorists in the Jammu region this year. Earlier encounters took place on January 7 and January 13 in the Kahog and Najote forests of the Billawar area in Kathua district.

Is Pakistan targeting Republic Day?

On December 15 last year, a police officer was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Soan village of Majalta area in Udhampur district, while the terrorists managed to escape under the cover of dense forest and darkness. Officials said these encounters followed a major counter-terrorism operation launched last December to flush out nearly three dozen terrorists hiding in the forest areas of the Jammu region. They added that the operation has been intensified to ensure peaceful Republic Day celebrations, as intelligence reports suggest that terrorist handlers based in Pakistan are planning to send more terrorists across the border.