Another fierce encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in the Sonnar village of the Chatroo area in Kishtwar district on Thursday afternoon, leaving eight Army soldiers injured. The operation was launched following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the upper reaches of the area.
According to reports, an Army team had moved to the Sonnar area to conduct a search operation when terrorists, positioned on higher ground, lobbed two grenades at the troops and opened fire. The soldiers immediately retaliated, triggering a gun battle that continued for some time.
Reinforcements from the Army, paramilitary forces, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Special Operations Group (SOG) were rushed to the spot to strengthen the cordon and intensify search operations. The operation continued till late night and was temporarily halted, with plans to resume early Friday morning.
Of the eight injured soldiers, three were airlifted to the Military Hospital in Udhampur for specialized treatment. Their condition is stated to be stable.
Sources said the Army had inputs about the presence of three foreign terrorists belonging to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit in the area. The ongoing operation has been named ‘Operation Trashi-I’ by the Army’s Nagrota-based White Knight Corps.
In a post on X, the White Knight Corps stated that contact was established with terrorists in the general area of Sonnar, northeast of Chatroo, during a deliberate joint search operation with Jammu and Kashmir Police. Additional forces have been inducted to reinforce the cordon, supported by close coordination with civil administration and security agencies.
Advanced surveillance equipment, including drones and sniffer dogs, has been deployed to track down the terrorists and prevent their escape through the dense forests and hilly terrain.
This is the third encounter in the Jammu region this year. Earlier encounters were reported in the Kahog and Najote forests of Kathua district on January 7 and 13, respectively. Security operations have been further intensified ahead of Republic Day celebrations to ensure peace and thwart any terror attempts.
