Jammu-Kashmir: Pakistani Jaish commander killed in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, search operation continues

By Samira Vishwas On Jan 24, 2026

Jammu. On Friday, Joint Forces killed Usman, a Pakistani terrorist commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. IGP (Jammu Zone) Bhim Sen Tooti on Friday posted on the social media platform ‘X’ and informed that a Pakistani Jaish terrorist has been killed by a team of Jammu and Kashmir Police in a joint operation with the Army and CRPF in Bilwar area of Kathua district.

The Army’s Rising Star Corps also said on Twitter, “Acting on specific intelligence input, on January 23, Army and Police launched a joint operation in Parhetar area of Kathua. The area was cordoned off and contact was established. In precise action by the Joint Forces, 1 foreign terrorist has been eliminated. Search operations are underway.”

Anti-terrorist operation was successfully completed in Bilwar tehsil of Kathua district on Friday. Official sources said that the Jaish-e-Mohammed commander had crossed the border into India in 2021-2022 and was active for the last two years. He was earlier spotted in Doda, Udhampur and Kathua districts of Jammu division. Intelligence about the presence of the terrorist commander was gathered by Bilwar police and he was killed in a 10-minute operation.

Fierce encounters have taken place in the past in Bilwar area and other areas of Kathua district also. On January 13 this year, an encounter took place in Najot/Kahog area of Bilwar after terrorists opened fire on a search party. Apart from this, on January 16, security forces had busted a terrorist hideout in Kamad Nala forest area.

Several operations by the Billawar Police in June 2025 resulted in the arrest of several drug peddlers, including people involved in heroin/chitta smuggling and liquor smuggling in areas like Pallan, Dharamkot and Katli Mor. On June 12, two terrorists were killed by security forces in Hiranagar area of Kathua. On September 30, 2024, a terrorist was killed in an encounter in the area around Kathua.

Former Jammu and Kashmir DGP SP Vaid praised the action of CRPF. He wrote, “Despite very bad weather conditions like snowfall, heavy rain and strong winds in Jammu and Kashmir, a team of Jammu and Kashmir Police in a joint operation with Army and CIAF in Billawar area of Kathua district successfully killed a Pakistani Jaish terrorist. Well done!”