Udhampur: Two suspected terrorists, believed to be affiliated with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), were killed during an overnight operation by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, officials said.
The operation began after security personnel received information about the movement of suspected terrorists in the Sohan area. A large-scale cordon-and-search operation was subsequently launched in the region.
The search operation soon turned into an encounter as the suspected terrorists opened fire, triggering an intense exchange of gunfire with the security forces.
After the firefight, security personnel recovered the bodies of two men believed to be foreign nationals during searches conducted in the early hours of Thursday., as reported by India Today. Their identities are yet to be confirmed. Arms and ammunition were also seized from the site, as reported by India Today.
The operation was jointly carried out by personnel from the Rashtriya Rifles, Para (Special Forces) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
The Udhampur encounter took place less than two weeks after a suspected Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander was killed in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on September 5.
The slain terrorist was identified as Yasir, who was reportedly associated with the Sulaiman Musa group of LeT. Sources said he had separated from the group nearly a year earlier and had been operating independently since then.
Security agencies had been following Yasir’s movements and monitoring his activities in the Yousmarg area of Budgam for some time before the operation was carried out.
Three Held In Rajouri
On September 15, Rajouri Police claimed to have dismantled an alleged overground worker network linked to LeT in the Pir Panjal region.
Three Rajouri residents — Zakir Hussain, Mohammad Azam and Mohammad Mushtaq — were arrested in connection with the alleged terror network. Police said the arrests followed an investigation into a suspected module operating across the region, as reported by DNA.
Initial findings indicated that the accused allegedly helped terrorists by arranging logistics, facilitating safe movement and providing other forms of ground support. The network was also suspected of being connected to several major attacks, including one targeting civilians.
Police are investigating the suspected network, searching for more associates and examining the role of those arrested.