J&K: 8 Army Soldiers Injured in Kishtwar Encounter; Operation Trashi-I Ongoing

Eight Army soldiers were injured during an encounter with terrorists in a remote forest area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Sunday, officials said.

 

 

The gunfight broke out in the upper reaches of the district when security forces were carrying out a search operation. Heavy firing continued for several hours before it finally stopped. Reinforcements were later deployed to strengthen the cordon and ensure the terrorists are neutralised.

 

 

The operation has been named ‘Operation Trashi-I’ by the Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps and began around noon as part of a joint counter-terror operation by the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police.

 

 

In a post on X, the White Knight Corps said:

 

 

Contact was established with terrorists in the general area Son Nar, northeast of Chhatru, during a deliberate search operation conducted as part of ongoing joint counter-terror operations alongwith @JmuKmrPolice. Troops displayed exceptional professionalism and resolve while responding to hostile fire under challenging terrain and conditions. Operations remain underway with additional forces inducted to reinforce the cordon, supported by close coordination with civil administration and security agencies.”

 

Officials said a search team encountered a group of two to three foreign terrorists, believed to be linked to Pakistan based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). The terrorists opened indiscriminate fire and hurled grenades in an attempt to escape. The troops responded effectively, forcing the terrorists to retreat deeper into the forest.

 

Reinforcements from the Army, CRPF and police were rushed to the spot to tighten the cordon. Eight soldiers were injured in the exchange of fire and were shifted to hospital. Most of them suffered splinter injuries caused by grenade blasts.

 

A massive search operation is continuing in the area to track down and eliminate the terrorists.