KULGAM, August 3 — The counter-terror operation in the Akhal forest area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district has entered its third day, with intermittent exchange of fire continuing between security forces and a group of heavily armed terrorists.
So far, two terrorists have been neutralised and another injured in the ongoing encounter. One soldier sustained injuries during the fierce gunfight. Officials suspect the presence of at least four to five terrorists in the area.
According to defence sources, the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army confirmed that "intermittent and intense firefights continued through the night," with alert troops responding with "calibrated fire" and tightening the security cordon while maintaining contact with the militants. "One terrorist has been neutralised by the security forces so far," the latest army statement on Operation Akhal noted.
The operation was launched following specific intelligence inputs indicating the presence of terrorists in the dense forest region. Security forces initiated a cordon and search operation on Friday, which soon escalated into a gunbattle when the militants opened fire. After an initial exchange of fire on Friday evening, the operation was temporarily suspended overnight and resumed with intensified efforts on Saturday morning.
During the second day of operations, two terrorists were eliminated. One of the slain terrorists was identified as Haris Nazir Dar, a resident of Rajpora in Pulwama district, according to the initial investigation.
Reinforcements have been deployed, and the area remains under tight surveillance as the operation continues.
The encounter in Kulgam comes shortly after another major success for security forces earlier this week under Operation Mahadev, during which three high-profile terrorists involved in the recent Pahalgam attack — Suleiman alias Faizal Jat, Jibran, and Hamza Afghani — were eliminated.
Security agencies remain on high alert across the region as coordinated efforts to root out remaining terrorist elements continue.
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