Five Terrorists Neutralized in Kulgam Encounter; Security Forces Sustain Casualties

In a significant operation, five terrorists were neutralized during an encounter with security forces in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, according to a report by news agency PTI citing official sources. Two security personnel sustained injuries in the operation.

The confrontation ensued after security forces initiated a cordon-and-search operation in the Kadder area of Behibagh late Wednesday night, following intelligence inputs on the presence of terrorists in the vicinity.

The search escalated into a gunfight as the terrorists opened fire on the security personnel, prompting a swift and effective retaliation. "On 19 December 2024, based on specific intelligence input regarding the presence of terrorists, a joint operation was launched by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police at Kadder, Kulgam. Suspicious activity was observed by vigilant troops, and upon being challenged, the terrorists resorted to indiscriminate and heavy firing. Our troops effectively retaliated," the Indian Army's Chinar Corps stated in a post on X.

This operation follows a series of recent counter-terrorism actions in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier this month, security forces neutralized a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist involved in an October attack at a tunnel construction site in Gagangeer, central Kashmir. In that attack, seven unarmed civilians, including laborers and staff members, were killed when terrorists indiscriminately opened fire at a campsite on the Srinagar-Leh national highway. The incident marked the deadliest civilian attack in the region since June 9, when nine pilgrims were killed in Reasi after their bus was attacked and plunged into a valley.

November also witnessed key counter-terrorism breakthroughs. On November 23, Baramulla Police, in a joint operation with security forces, uncovered a terror hideout in the Kunzer area of Baramulla district. Earlier, on November 9, security forces launched a joint operation in Rajpura, Sopore, Baramulla, based on specific intelligence inputs regarding terrorist activity.

These operations underscore the ongoing efforts of security forces to curb terrorism and ensure peace and stability in the region.