Two JeM terrorists killed in Udhampur cave operation
Two Pakistani terrorists, including a top Jaish-e-Mohammad commander, were killed in a joint security forces operation in Udhampur district after they were trapped inside a cave. The over 20-hour operation ended with recovery of arms and ammunition
Jammu: Two Pakistani terrorists, including a top commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit, were killed on Wednesday after they were trapped inside a cave in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
Several powerful blasts were heard when the forces stormed the cave around noon.
Officials said one of the deceased terrorists was Rubani alias Abu Mavia, a top commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit, who had been active in the area for the last several years.
While the body of one of the terrorists was lying at the mouth of the cave, another was found lying deep inside it.
The terrorists were located by joint troops of the Army, police and CRPF amid intensified search operations in the higher reaches of the Ramnagar-Basantgarh area around 4 pm on Tuesday, leading to a fierce gunfight, the officials said.
The Army named the over 20-hour-long operation as “Kiya” and said though it is over, the area still remains under surveillance.
“Based on specific intelligence input provided by police, troops of Counter-Intelligence Force Delta, White Knight Corps planned and executed a focused joint counter-terror operation in the general area of Jophar Forest, Basantgarh in coordination with police and CRPF, reinforcing the cordon and ensuring effective area domination to prevent the escape of terrorists.
“Contact with terrorists was established yesterday and since then, they were prevented from breaking contact. Following a calibrated and coordinated response, two terrorists have been successfully neutralised. The operation highlighted seamless inter-agency coordination, tactical precision and high standards of professionalism,” the Army’s White Knight Corps said in a post on X.
A large quantity of arms and ammunition, including an M4 carbine and an AK assault rifle, were recovered from the slain terrorists, the officials said.
The officials said intense gunfight and deafening explosions initially rocked the Jaffer, Gujrada and Chigla Balotha forests for over an hour, resulting in injuries to one of the terrorists who, along with his associate, managed to retreat into the cave.
Heavy gunfire and explosions were reported for a brief period around 7.30 pm when the terrorists attempted to flee under the cover of darkness, the officials said, adding that Army reinforcements, including paratroopers and dog squads, were rushed in to further tighten the cordon.
The night passed without any firing, and security forces maintained a tight vigil over the area, particularly around the cave, using drones for surveillance, before launching a final assault on the cave this morning, the officials said.
This was the second encounter in Udhampur since December 15, when a policeman was killed in an encounter at Soan village. However, the terrorists had managed to escape, taking advantage of thick foliage and darkness.
A series of encounters, three in Kathua district and four in the Chatroo forest belt in Kishtwar, also occurred in January, resulting in the killing of top JeM terrorist Usman of Pakistan in Kathua and a paratrooper in Kishtwar amid intensified operations to hunt down terrorists hiding in the upper reaches of the Jammu region.
Usman was part of the same group eliminated in Udhampur district and got separated following the Soan encounter, the officials said.