Jammu, Feb 22: Three members of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Sunday, officials said.
The bodies of all the slain terrorists were charred beyond recognition as the mud house they were hiding in caught fire during the gunfight, they said, adding that preliminary assessments by security agencies suggest that one of the deceased is Saifullah, a notorious JeM commander.
He had reportedly infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir nearly five years ago and had since remained active in the region, allegedly masterminding several deadly attacks on security forces, including one in July 2024 that left four soldiers dead.
Saifullah had escaped a number of encounters in the past.
The officials said the body of the third terrorist, along with a weapon, was retrieved from the gutted hideout of the ultras in the evening.
Earlier, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma complimented the White Knight Corps troops for their “swift and precise” action to neutralise the terrorists.
“The Army Commander commends the commanders and troops on ground for their persistence in challenging terrain and weather conditions. Northern Command remains committed to ensuring a terror-free Jammu and Kashmir,” the Army said in a post on X.
The terrorists were neutralised during the “Trashi-I” operation in the general area of Passerkut in the Chatroo belt and two AK-47 rifles, along with ammunition, seized. (PTI)
