JAMMU, February 22, 2026 : Three terrorists belonging to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, officials confirmed.
The encounter took place during Operation “Trashi-I” in the Passerkut area of the Chatroo belt. Acting on credible intelligence inputs jointly developed by J&K Police, the Intelligence Bureau and Army sources, security forces launched a coordinated search-and-destroy operation to neutralise terrorists active in the region.
During the operation, the terrorists, who were hiding inside a mud house in the forested foothills, opened fire on approaching search teams. An intense gunfight followed, during which the hideout caught fire and was completely gutted. The charred bodies of all three terrorists were later recovered from the site, along with two AK-47 rifles and ammunition.
Preliminary assessments suggest that one of the slain militants is Saifullah, a notorious JeM commander who had reportedly infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir nearly five years ago. He was allegedly involved in planning multiple attacks on security forces, including a deadly July 2024 incident in which four soldiers lost their lives. Saifullah had previously managed to escape several encounters.
The operation was executed by troops of CIF (Delta Force) in close coordination with J&K Police and CRPF. Despite difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions, the forces maintained tactical dominance and successfully neutralised the terrorists.
Commending the troops, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma praised the “swift, precise and resolute” action of the soldiers. In a post on X, the Indian Army reiterated its unwavering commitment to eliminating terrorism from the region, stating that those attempting to disturb peace would find no sanctuary.
With this operation, the total number of JeM terrorists eliminated in the Jammu region this year has risen to seven. Earlier encounters included the killing of two terrorists in the Ramanagar forests of Udhampur on February 4 and one in Kathua’s Parhetar village on January 23.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, a truck driver was detained in Samba district after Pakistani contact numbers were found on his mobile phone during routine checking at Pangdour Chowk. Further investigation is underway.
