Jammu & Kashmir: In a significant blow to cross-border militancy, the Indian Army, in a joint operation with Jammu and Kashmir Police, neutralized top Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander Saifullah and two other Pakistani terrorists in the forested region of Chhatru, Kishtwar district, officials confirmed on Saturday.
Saifullah, who had been operating in the region for several months, was identified as a high-ranking commander within the JeM ranks. Officials described his elimination as a “major breakthrough” in the ongoing counter-insurgency efforts in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The terrorist neutralised in Kishtwar is a big catch. He is Saifullah, a top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad, active in the area for many months,” an official told India Today, highlighting the significance of the operation.
The anti-militancy offensive was launched based on specific intelligence inputs, with security forces tracking the movement of the militants in the dense Chatru forest area. Despite inclement weather and challenging terrain, the Army pressed ahead with the mission.
The Army’s White Knight Corps confirmed the developments via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “In the ongoing operations at #Chhatru, Kishtwar, despite bad and inclement weather, two more Pakistani terrorists have been eliminated. A large quantity of war-like stores including one AK and one M4 rifle have been recovered.”
A substantial cache of arms, ammunition, and explosives was recovered from the encounter site, including automatic rifles and war-grade equipment, indicating the group’s preparedness for high-intensity attacks.
The joint operation is still ongoing as security forces continue to sanitize the area to eliminate any remaining threats.
