5 terrorists guned down in J&K's Kulgam; 2 jawans injured

Five terrorists were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Thursday, marking a significant success in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the region. Two security personnel were injured during the operation, officials confirmed.

The encounter began late Wednesday night after security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Kadder area of Behibagh, Kulgam, based on intelligence inputs regarding the presence of terrorists. The operation intensified when the terrorists, upon being challenged, opened heavy fire on the security forces.

“On 19 December 24, based on specific intelligence input regarding the presence of terrorists, a joint operation was launched by the Indian Army and Jammu Kashmir Police at Kadder, Kulgam. Suspicious activity was observed by vigilant troops and, on being challenged, terrorists opened indiscriminate and heavy volume of fire. Own troops effectively retaliated,” the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps stated on social media platform X.

The security forces successfully neutralized all five terrorists in a prolonged gunfight that lasted through the night and into the early hours. Officials have not yet disclosed the affiliations of the neutralized militants, but the area has witnessed activity by groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed in recent months.

Earlier this month, an LeT terrorist involved in an attack at a tunnel construction site in Gagangeer, central Kashmir, was killed in a separate encounter with security forces in Srinagar's forested areas. The back-to-back successes underscore the security forces' commitment to maintaining peace in the region amidst persistent threats.