In a significant anti-terror operation, three terrorists were gunned down early Wednesday morning in a joint operation by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in Awantipora’s Nader and Tral areas. The terrorists were holed up in a residential building when security forces acted on specific intelligence inputs, leading to a fierce encounter.
According to Kashmir Police, the operation began during the early hours of the day and ended with the neutralization of all three terrorists. “Police and security forces are on the job,” Kashmir Zone Police posted on X (formerly Twitter), confirming the success of the operation.
This is the second major encounter in the region within 48 hours, indicating a surge in anti-terror operations following heightened security measures after the deadly Pahalgam attack last month.
On May 13, a similar operation led to the killing of three terrorists in Shopian district. That encounter was a continuation of an initial firefight that began in Kulgam before shifting to the Shoekal Keller forest area of Shopian. The Indian Army confirmed the operation on X, stating, “Based on specific intelligence of a Rashtriya Rifles Unit, a search and destroy mission was launched. During the operation, terrorists opened heavy fire resulting in a fierce firefight, which led to the elimination of three hardcore terrorists.”
These back-to-back successes come amid ongoing intensified counter-insurgency efforts in the region, especially in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 people dead. The attack, one of the deadliest in recent years, triggered a strong response from Indian security forces.
In response to the Pahalgam tragedy, the Indian government launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 — a high-intensity cross-border counter-terror operation targeting nine terror bases located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The move further escalated already strained ties between India and Pakistan, leading to strikes and counter-strikes across the border.
While both countries reached a ceasefire agreement on May 10, promising to halt all military operations across land, air, and sea by 5 PM that day, Pakistan reportedly violated the agreement within hours, casting doubts over the truce’s viability.
As tensions remain high and anti-terror operations continue, the Indian Army and security forces maintain a heightened state of alert, determined to dismantle militant networks operating in the Kashmir Valley.
Sources By Agencies
