Three Pakistani militants affiliated to the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) were killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Sunday.
The bodies have been charred beyond recognition, but preliminary assessments by security agencies suggest that one of them was the most wanted and elusive Saifullah, who was adept in jungle warfare. Official confirmation is awaited.
The army’s Northern Command chief, Lt Gen. Pratik Sharma, complimented the troops of the White Knight Corps for their “swift and precise” action to neutralise the militants and their persistence in “challenging terrain and weather conditions”.
Security forces have in the past launched several operations to hunt down Saifullah, believed to have been involved in a series of attacks, but in vain.
News of his death was reported by sections of the media in April last year, prompting the army to clarify later that he was alive.
If he is indeed dead now, it will be a major success for the security forces in Jammu in a long time.
Official sources said Saifullah had reportedly infiltrated Jammu and Kashmir nearly five years ago and had remained active since.
The militants were killed in an operation called Trashi I, which started on January 18. The militants had managed to give the forces the slip on multiple occasions since they killed an elite Special Forces commando and injured seven more soldiers on the night of January 18.
Around a fortnight ago, security forces killed a militant and strengthened the cordon.
The army said a joint operation was launched in Kishtwar under Trashi-I to track and neutralise terrorists operating in the area “pursuant to credible intelligence inputs collated from J-K Police, IB (Intelligence Bureau) and own intelligence sources”.
“Following successful contact established earlier, troops of CIF (Counter-Intelligence Force) Delta, in close coordination with police and CRPF, re-engaged the terrorists today at approximately 11am in challenging terrain,” the army’s White Knight Corps posted on X.
Displaying tactical precision, seamless synergy and resolute aggression, the troops dominated the encounter site and successfully neutralised the terrorists, it added.
Officials said the militants were found hiding inside a mudhouse and opened fire on the approaching search teams, prompting the forces to retaliate. “The mudhouse caught fire during the exchange of fire and was completely gutted. The bodies recovered from the spot were charred beyond recognition,” an official said.