Soldier killed in Kishtwar encounter; army pays tribute

After a night-long halt, security forces resumed their search operation on Monday to track down terrorists believed to be hiding in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, officials said.

The operation was launched in Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhpora in the Chatroo belt on Sunday, leading to a gunfight that left eight soldiers injured, primarily due to splinter injuries caused by a sudden grenade attack from the hiding terrorists.

The operation was suspended late Sunday night in the challenging terrain marked by thick vegetation and steep slopes, limiting visibility and movement, officials said.

Multiple teams of the army, police, and paramilitary forces, supported by drones and sniffer dogs, are combing the area while maintaining a tight security cordon to ensure that the terrorists are not able to escape, the officials said.

A group of two to three terrorists allegedly affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) are believed to be trapped in the area, officials said, adding the operation resumed with the first light of the day and was ongoing when the last reports were received.

Officials informed that there was no fresh contact with the terrorists.