Udhampur encounter: 2 Pakistani JeM terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir, OGW detained

Udhampur: Two Pakistani terrorists belonging to the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit were killed, and a suspected overground worker was detained during a joint security operation in a remote, high-altitude section of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district, officials confirmed Thursday.

The combined operation, Op Soan, executed by the Indian Army, police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), took place amidst heavy rainfall in the dense forest areas of Brattal Sohan and Khubban within the Majalta region, bordering Kathua district.

Army and police authorities confirmed the elimination of the two combatants, with police identifying the deceased foreign fighters as Saddam and Mustafa, both Pakistani nationals.

"In a joint intelligence-based operation during the intervening night of September 16-17, confirmed inputs indicated the presence of terrorists in the general area of Brattal, Udhampur. Despite hostile weather, difficult terrain and poor visibility, troops of White Knight Corps, Police and CRPF launched a targeted counter-terrorism operation, resulting in the neutralisation of two terrorists. The operation is still in progress, with search and surveillance continuing in the area. Security forces remain deployed to track and neutralise any remaining threat," the Army's Jammu-based White Knight Corps stated in a social media post on X.

In a separate post on X, the Jammu and Kashmir Police corroborated that the two slain JeM operatives were identified as Saddam and Mustafa.

Security forces recovered an AK-series assault rifle with four magazines, an M4 carbine with three magazines, a Glock pistol with two magazines, and four hand grenades from the site of the engagement, police reported.

Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, head of the Army's Northern Command, commended the White Knight Corps for its swift and professional execution in neutralising the threat.

"The successful intelligence-based operation, conducted in seamless synergy with Police and CRPF, once again underscores the strength of joint inter-agency coordination in the counter-terrorism grid. Northern Command remains steadfast in its resolve to ensure a terror-free Jammu and Kashmir," the Udhampur-headquartered Northern Command stated on X.

Officials stated that security personnel had been tracking a group of insurgents after detecting movement in the forest belt last week.

Security forces established a cordon around 9 p.m. Wednesday following updated intelligence inputs, leading to the initial tactical contact.

Intermittent gunfire and explosive blasts were reported shortly after the operation commenced, followed by a prolonged lull overnight. The engagement resumed Thursday morning when the trapped fighters opened heavy fire in an attempt to breach the perimeter.

Additional troop reinforcements were deployed to the location as sweep operations continued through the afternoon.

Investigators recovered a US-manufactured M4 carbine, an AK-series assault rifle, and a substantial quantity of ammunition from the encounter site.

A local resident, suspected of acting as an over-ground worker for JeM, has been taken into custody for questioning.

The incident marks the second major armed encounter in Udhampur district this year. In February, two Pakistani fighters, including self-styled commander Rubani, also known as Abu Mavia, who had been active in the region for several years, were killed in the Ramnagar forest sector.

Historically, the rugged mountain terrain spanning the Kathua-Udhampur-Doda belt has been exploited by JeM operatives to construct hideouts and evade security tracking after crossing the border.

However, security agencies have systematically targeted these networks to deny insurgents safe transit and shelter across the upper reaches, officials said.

Authorities emphasised that sustained operations have led to the elimination of numerous active combatants in the sector, including several foreign nationals. Security forces maintain heightened vigilance and continue search sweeps in remote forest areas guided by real-time intelligence assessments.

In neighbouring Doda district, four terrorists and five security personnel were killed in separate gunfights during 2025, while four insurgents and one security force member were killed in adjacent Kishtwar district this year, compared to three insurgents and one security personnel in 2024.

Kishtwar previously recorded the deaths of three security personnel and two civilians in 2024.

In Udhampur, four fatalities, comprising two terrorists, one security force member, and one civilian, were recorded in 2024, whereas 2025 saw the deaths of one insurgent and three security personnel.

Kathua registered the highest casualty figures among the four contiguous districts in 2024, with two terrorists and seven security personnel killed. The following year, seven casualties were recorded: three insurgents and four security force members, while 2026 has witnessed the death of one terrorist to date.

PTI