Jammu and Kashmir: Army eliminates six terrorists in 48 hours across Tral, Pulwama in major anti-terror operations
PTC Web Desk: In a significant counter-terrorism breakthrough, the Indian Army neutralised six terrorists in two distinct operations conducted within 48 hours across different terrains in Jammu and Kashmir, top Army officials confirmed on Friday.
According to Major General Dhananjay Joshi, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army’s V Force, one of the terrorists was directly linked to the killing of a local sarpanch earlier this year in March.
"Wherever terrorists attempt to hide, we will track them down and eliminate the threat," Maj Gen. Joshi said during a media briefing.
The first operation took place in the high-altitude region of Kelar on May 13. Acting on intelligence inputs, Army personnel spotted suspicious movement and challenged the infiltrators. The terrorists responded with gunfire, prompting swift retaliation from the security forces, resulting in the elimination of the threat.
The second major encounter took place in a border village in Tral. As troops established a cordon around the area, militants opened fire from multiple residential structures, complicating the situation due to the presence of civilians. Security personnel successfully evacuated the villagers before engaging and neutralising three terrorists.
Among those killed was Shahid Kutte, a notorious terrorist linked to two major incidents, including an attack on a German tourist. He was also reportedly involved in terror financing.
Parallel to the Tral engagement, another successful anti-terror operation was conducted in a village in Pulwama district. Acting on actionable intelligence, army units evacuated residents and launched an operation on relatively flat terrain. Three terrorists affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit were gunned down in the operation. They were identified as Asif Ahmed Sheikh, Amir Nazir Wani, and Yawar Ahmed Bhat.
These back-to-back operations form part of Operation Sindoor, a newly launched offensive reflecting a strategic shift in India’s counter-terrorism doctrine. Under this initiative, security forces aim to root out terrorism at its core, striking decisively in both remote and populated areas.
Senior officials from the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) participated in the operations and confirmed that all objectives were met without civilian casualties.
- With inputs from agencies
