The encounter between security forces and terrorists initially began in Kishtwar on January 18. Two more encounters took place on January 22 and on January 25, but the terrorists slipped deep into the forest area. A hunt is underway to neutralise them.
The security forces re-established contact with terrorists holed up in Dolgam area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar early Saturday. The security forces have intensified their ongoing anti-terror operation in the snowbound Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar to track down and neutralise a group of three holed up Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists.
The Army said intelligence inputs from all sources were coordinated to plan and execute the operation on the ground.
“During the ongoing joint Operation Trashi-I, contact with terrorists was re-established in the early hours of 31 Jan 2026, in the general area of Dolgam by troops of White Knight Corps, J&K Police and CRPF. Intelligence from all sources had been coordinated to provide inputs to execute the operation on ground. A cordon has been established and operations are in progress,” the White Knight Corps posted on X.
Initially, a search operation was launched in the area on January 18, leading to a fierce gun battle in Sonnar forest near Mandral-Singhpora, resulting in the killing of a paratrooper and injuries to seven soldiers. A group of two to three terrorists allegedly affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) were believed to be trapped in the area.
Although the terrorists managed to escape taking advantage of thick vegetation and the challenging terrain, the security forces continued their hunt for the terrorists despite more than two feet of snowfall.
Two more encounters took place between the army and the terrorists at Mali Dana top on January 22 and Janseer-Kandiwar on January 25 but the terrorists once again slipped deep into the forest area.
The mobile internet services were also suspended within a radius of six km covering Singhpora, Chingam and Chatroo to avoid their misuse by anti-national elements during the ongoing operation on January 23. The suspension of mobile internet services in Singhpora, Chingam and Chatroo was extended till 23:59 hours on January 30, the officials said, quoting an order issued by the J-K Home Department.
The suspension was ordered by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, who is the authorised officer under the Temporary Suspension of Telecommunication Services Rules, 2024.
