Operation Trash; Soldier died during an encounter with terrorists in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir

New Delhi (India) May 23: During an encounter with a group of three to four Jaish terrorists, in a forested area of Kishtwar on Thursday, one soldier was killed and two others were injured.

Around six in the morning, para commandos from the army's counter-insurgency wings—the 7 Assam Rifles, the 11 Rashtriya Rifles, and the special operations group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police—launched a joint search operation in the Singhpora area of Chatroo in response to an intelligence input from the local police.

According to the Army's White Knight Corps, the soldier died while receiving treatment after suffering injuries in a gunfight.

The White Knight Corps posted, “During the ongoing operation, fierce gunfight is continuing. One of our #Bravehearts sustained grievous injuries in the exchange of fire and has succumbed despite best medical efforts. Operation is in progress." on social media platform X.

The corps said that contact had been made with the terrorists at Chhatru in Kishtwar and provided information of the operation, known as Operation Trashi, which was carried out with the Jammu and Kashmir Police.There are possibly four terrorists trapped in the region.

The defence officials said, “A fierce gunfight erupted this morning between terrorists and security forces in which three soldiers were injured. They were immediately evacuated to the Command Hospital in Udhampur where one of them succumbed to his injuries.” 

The additional forces were also called upon to strengthen the operation, which is still going on with the goal of eliminating the terrorists. 

Terrorists continue to use the Singhpora forest in Kishtwar, which is near Anantnag district, as a transit route to reach Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir has seen a number of high-profile counterterrorism operations in recent weeks as security forces increase their efforts to control terrorist networks.

Three Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were killed in separate encounters in the Pulwama district's Nadir village of Tral last week.These latest encounters are a part of an ongoing operation that was started after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which killed 26 people.

In Jammu and Kashmir, security forces increased their search and destroy operations by destroying the houses of terrorists.

Aadrika Tayal