SRINAGAR: All seven militants, including the top Jaish-e-Mohammad commander Saifullah, who were active in the Chatroo forest area in Kishtwar, have been killed in a year-long operation by security forces, during which high-tech gadgets including FPV drones, satellite imagery, RPAs/UAVs, communication tools, etc., were used.
On Sunday, a joint contingent of police, CRPF, and army killed three Pakistani militants of Jaish, including its top commander Saifullah, in an encounter in the Passerkut area of Chatroo forest in Kishtwar under Operation Trashi-I.
The army confirmed the killing of Saifullah, who was a top Jaish commander and one of the most wanted militants in J&K. He had been active in the upper reaches of Kishtwar and Doda for the last five years and had been involved in many attacks and ambushes on security forces, including one in July 2024 in which four soldiers were killed.
He had escaped many previous security operations, but his luck ran out yesterday, and he, along with two of his associates, was killed in the gunfight.
His killing would deal a major setback to militancy and Jaish in the Jammu region, where militants have been attempting to revive militancy over the last few years.
The army, in a post on X, said all seven militants, including Saifullah, active in the Chatroo forest area, have now been killed.
“Relentless and painstaking high-altitude joint operations were conducted over 326 days in the Kishtwar region. Forces tracked terrorists in challenging conditions of cold, wet, and freezing weather across daunting terrain, leading to multiple contacts,” the army said.
It said troops of White Knight Corps, J&K police, and CRPF, based on a well-knit intelligence grid established by civil and military intelligence agencies, have finally eliminated all seven dreaded terrorists in Chatroo, Kishtwar.
“Technology in the form of FPV drones, satellite imagery, RPAs/UAVs, communication tools, etc., was continuously leveraged to assist in operations,” the army said.
“The relentless pursuit and resolve of our forces, culminating in the elimination of Saifullah and his associates, proves that nothing can stand against the determination, courage, and valor of our men in uniform and intelligence agencies,” the army said. “The killing of the seven militants is a massive blow to the terror network.”
Security forces had launched a massive operation in Chatroo and its adjoining forest area in Kishtwar since the January 18 encounter in which a para commando was killed and others injured.
Since then, a group of 2–3 militants, including Saifullah, were on the run. On February 4, one militant of the group was killed in a precision drone strike inside a mountain cave.
Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi had yesterday commended the troops for their exemplary professionalism and steadfast resolve in ongoing counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar.
“General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS, commends the troops of Northern Command for their exemplary professionalism and steadfast resolve in ongoing counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir,” the army posted on X.
The Army chief lauded their vigilance, operational excellence, and seamless coordination under challenging conditions.
“The Indian Army remains unwavering in its commitment to ensuring lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir with zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms,” the Army chief asserted.