In a significant development, security forces in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir successfully neutralized five terrorists in an ongoing encounter, as confirmed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The encounter, which began on Thursday afternoon in the Samno pocket of the DH Pora area, is now in its final stage, with authorities currently working to ascertain the identity of the slain terrorists.
The joint operation against the terrorists involved the Army’s 34 Rashtriya Rifles, the elite special forces unit 9 Para, police, and the CRPF. The village was strategically surrounded overnight, with lights installed near the encounter site to maintain a tight cordon. While the operation was briefly suspended overnight, gunshots resumed early Friday after a temporary lull. The exchange of heavy fire resulted in the house where the terrorists were hiding catching fire, compelling them to come out.
This marks a significant anti-insurgency operation in South Kashmir, reminiscent of the September 13 operation in the Garol forests of Anantnag, where four security forces personnel and two terrorists were killed during a week-long operation.
Notably, this recent encounter follows the thwarting of an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in the Uri Sector on November 15. In a joint operation named ‘Operation Kali,’ the army and Jammu and Kashmir Police successfully neutralized infiltrators, including Bashir Ahmed Malik, a key figure in Pakistan-enabled cross-border terrorism in the region. This incident marked the second infiltration bid in the same region.
The security forces have recovered incriminating materials during the Kulgam operation, and the area is currently being sanitized to ensure the safety of the residents. Authorities remain vigilant in their efforts to curb terrorism and maintain peace in the region.
