Jammu: Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir are battling militants on two fronts, with a fresh encounter breaking out in Kishtwar district on Sunday morning as the gunfight in south Kashmir’s Kulgam entered its 10th day.
Officials said the Kishtwar clash erupted in the Dool area after an intelligence-led search operation pinpointed the presence of two suspected terrorists.
As troops closed in, the militants opened fire, triggering a fierce exchange. The Army’s White Knight Corps confirmed the engagement, noting that contact was made during a targeted intelligence operation. The firefight is ongoing.
The Kishtwar gun battle follows a sweeping clampdown by Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday, when 26 premises, including the home of senior Hizbul Mujahideen commander Mohammad Amin Bhat alias “Jehangir Saroori” were searched.
Contact with #Terrorists
Alert Indian Army troops while carrying out an intelligence based operation have established contact with terrorists in general area of Dul in Kishtwar in early hours of 10 Aug 2025. Gunfire exchanged. Operation under progress.@adgpi… pic.twitter.com/KOUpa208MN
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) August 10, 2025
Officials said the crackdown targeted terrorists operating from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who are accused of smuggling arms and ammunition across the border.
On Friday, similar searches were carried out at 15 locations in neighboring Doda district. Police said the raids aimed to dismantle local support networks, collect actionable intelligence, and send a deterrent message to those aiding militants.
“Multiple teams fanned out across Kishtwar, Chatroo, Dachhan, and Atholi, targeting hideouts and residences linked to terrorists and their associates,” a police spokesperson said. The teams seized electronic devices, documents, and other materials tied to terror financing, radicalization, and cross-border communication.
Kishtwar SSP Naresh Singh reaffirmed a zero-tolerance approach, warning that anyone found aiding militants would face strict legal consequences. The operations, he said, are part of a sustained strategy to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and Over Ground Worker (OGW) networks.
Update: OP AKHAL, Kulgam
Chinar Corps honours the supreme sacrifice of the Bravehearts, L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sep Harminder Singh, in line of duty for the Nation. Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. #IndianArmy expresses deepest condolences and stand in… pic.twitter.com/La4i49Ov2h
— Chinar Corps🍁 – Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) August 9, 2025
In Kulgam’s Akhal area, security forces remain locked in a protracted standoff with entrenched militants. The encounter, which began on August 1, continued through Saturday night, with drones, helicopters, and para commandos deployed to flush out the remaining fighters.
The operation has claimed the lives of two soldiers, Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh, and injured six others. While officials have confirmed the killing of one militant, local reports suggest two may have been eliminated.
On Saturday, the Army’s Chinar Corps saluted the fallen soldiers, calling their sacrifice “supreme” and their courage an inspiration. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah paid tributes, with Abdullah visiting the Chinar Corps headquarters in Srinagar to lay a wreath.
Chief Minister laid the wreath and paid rich tribute to the brave soldiers who made ultimate sacrifice at Kulgam. pic.twitter.com/PwLXSmZcxs
— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) August 9, 2025
“I salute the indomitable courage of our bravehearts… Their valour, grit, and determination will never be forgotten,” Sinha said in a statement.
Senior police and Army commanders, including J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat and Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, are monitoring both operations closely.
With parallel encounters in Kishtwar and Kulgam and a sweeping crackdown on terror networks, security forces are maintaining heightened alert across Jammu and Kashmir in one of the most sustained anti-militancy drives in recent months.
