Kishtwar, Feb 22 — Three militants, including Saifullah, a top commander of the banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Chatroo belt of Kishtwar district in the Chenab Valley on Sunday, officials said.
The encounter broke out in the general area of Passerkut after joint forces narrowed their search to a mud house where the militants were hiding. “As the search parties approached, the militants opened fire, triggering an intense gunfight,” an official said.
During the exchange, the mud house caught fire and was gutted, leaving the bodies of all three militants charred beyond recognition. “Preliminary assessment suggests that one of the deceased is Saifullah,” the official said, adding that efforts are under way to formally establish the identities of the slain.
Two AK-47 rifles and ammunition were recovered from the site, officials said.
According to security agencies, Saifullah had infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir nearly five years ago and had remained active in the region since then. He is believed to have planned and executed several attacks on security forces, including a July 2024 strike in which four troopers were killed. Officials said he had managed to evade multiple operations in the past.
Intelligence inputs had indicated the presence of Saifullah and two associates—both suspected to be Pakistani nationals—in the Chatroo forest area.
Earlier, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma lauded the troops for the operation. “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 operation was conducted jointly by the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police under Operation Trashi-I, based on “credible intelligence inputs collated from J-K Police, IB and own intelligence sources,” officials said.
The Chatroo forest belt has seen nearly half-a-dozen gunfights since January 18. With Sunday’s operation, seven JeM militants have been killed in separate encounters in the Jammu division this year, officials added.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a truck driver was detained for questioning in Samba district after police found several Pakistani contact numbers on his mobile phone during checking at Pangdour chowk late Saturday evening. The truck was en route to Kashmir, and further investigation is under way, officials said.