Pakistani JeM terrorist gunned down in Kathua encounter

Security forces on Friday (January 23) gunned down a Pakistani terrorist affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) during an encounter in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Inspector General of Police, Jammu range, Bhim Sen Tuti, said the terrorist was gunned down during a joint operation in the general area of Billawar.

Slain terrorist a JEM commander

"A Pakistani Jaish terrorist has been neutralised by a small JKP (J&K Police) team in a joint operation with the Army and CRPF in the general area of Billawar," the Jammu police chief said in a post on X.

Also Read: Kathua: Encounter breaks out betwen security forces and terrorists

Officials identified the deceased terrorist as JeM commander Usman and said a large quantity of arms and ammunition, includingan M4 automatic rifle, were recovered from him.

The operation was launched in the Billawar area after the security forces received intelligence inputs and cordoned off the area, stated a report by the Hindustan Times. The report further stated that after contact was established with the terrorist, he was eliminated in a precise strike.

Soldier injured in earlier encounter

A soldier was injured earlier on Thursday in a fresh encounter that erupted after a four-day lull with a group of Jaish terrorists in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district.

“A brief gunfight broke out with Pakistani terrorists and security forces in Arigam Dwathar area near Singpura in Chatro on Thursday morning. In the exchange of fire, a soldier was injured. He was airlifted to Command Hospital in Udhampur,” a senior police officer said as quoted by the Hindustan Times.

Also Read: Two terrorists killed as Army thwarts infiltration bid in J-K's Kupwara

Additional reinforcements were rushed to the area, he added. On January 18 and 19, a Special Forces commando, Havildar Gajendra Singh from Uttarakhand, and eight other soldiers were injured in a fierce gun battle in the Singpura area.

“Since then, a big search operation was launched to track down the terrorists. This morning, the army, CRPF and J&K Police tracked the terrorists in Arigam Dwathar area, around 200 metres away from Sonnar in Singpura,” the officer said.

‘Two to three JeM terrorists trapped’

Security agencies believe two to three terrorists affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad are trapped in the area.

Meanwhile, a cordon and search operation was launched in the border area of Akhnoor in Jammu district after locals reported movement of three to four suspected terrorists in the Sumah area.

Thursday’s encounter marked the fourth clash between security forces and terrorists in the Jammu region this year, with the Kathua incident counting as the fifth.

(With agency inputs)