3 JeM terrorists killed ahead of Shah’s three-day visit to J&K
SRINAGAR: Three Pakistani terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammad, including a top commander, were killed in twin encounters with security forces in forest areas of Udhampur and Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Two of the terrorists were killed in a drone-based operation by security forces in Udhampur district. The forces eliminated the terrorists a day ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s three-day visit to J&K to review the security situation in the UT.
Shah will reach Jammu on Thursday evening. “On February 6, the Home Minister will visit the International Border at Hiranagar in Kathua district, where he will receive a detailed briefing from BSF officials on measures being undertaken to prevent infiltration from across the border,” an official said.
Jammu-based defence spokesman said a fresh firefight broke out between holed-up terrorists and forces in Dichhar area of Chatroo forest region in Kishtwar district. “One terrorist was killed in the encounter. The ant-terror operation in the forest area is going on,” he said. The army, police and CRPF men are conducting a massive search operation in Chatroo, Singhpora and Chingum area in dense forest area in Kishtwar since the January 18 encounter with terrorists in which a para commando was killed and eight other jawans injured.
Security forces suspect that a group of 2-3 Jaish terrorists, including a top commander, are holed up in the dense forest area. The troops are using drones, UAVs and other surveillance gadgets to track down the terrorists, likely to be trained in jungle warfare. Earlier in the morning, forces killed two holed up Jaish terrorists hiding in a cave in Jaffer forest area in Udhampur of Jammu.
“The security forces had used drones, UAVs and other surveillance gadgets to track down the movement of the terrorists, who had escaped after a brief encounter in the forest area on Tuesday afternoon. The drones captured the movement of terrorists. They were spotted hiding in a natural cave,” an official said. The video grab of terrorists being spotted near the cave have gone viral on social media. The terrorists tried to flee from the area but they were fired upon by security personnel confining them to the cave and were later killed in a major assault of security forces. One of the slain terrorists is said to be Abu Muvaya, a top Jaish commander who was being hunted by security forces.
Security forces have launched winter offensive in upper reaches of Kathua, Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur, Doda and Kishtwar district after the onset of winter to track down terrorists.