Srinagar / Kashgil News
In the military operation launched against armed militants in the southern Kashmir town of Kishtwar five weeks ago, the army finally claimed on Sunday evening that three militants, including the alleged top commander of the banned militant organization Jaish-e-Mohammed, have been killed in the latest clash.
A large-scale operation to search for armed clashes and militants is still underway as the army claims that two more armed militants are still hiding in the mountain passes of the difficult forest area.
This joint operation by the army, paramilitary forces and the Special Operations Group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police was launched in January, during which six clashes have taken place between the forces and the militants so far. During these clashes, an army paracommando and a Special Operations Group personnel were killed and several other personnel were injured.
The commander of the Northern Command of the Indian Army, Lieutenant General Prateek Sharma, congratulated the forces involved in the operation and termed it a ‘correct and highly professional move’.
It is worth mentioning here that in the hilly and forested areas of Chhatro town of Kishtwar, Singh Pura, Janisar, Dolgam, and Pasirkot, there have been two dozen armed clashes in the last two years, in which the army has suffered casualties. Last January, the army launched a joint operation in these areas along with local forces, during which the internet was suspended.
The army’s White Knight Corps said in a statement on X: ‘Operation Trashi-1 was launched in Kishtwar following intelligence inputs from the police, Intelligence Bureau and Military Intelligence to track down and eliminate the militants hiding there.’
The army says that in the operation, which was successful after several weeks, three militants, including a top commander of the banned organization, have been killed. According to military sources, the militants were hiding in a mud hut in the forest area of Pasir Kot.
It should be noted that after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, armed militancy has shifted from the Kashmir Valley to the hilly and forested areas of Jammu. This is why the main target of counter-insurgency operations by the army, police and paramilitary forces is now the forest and hilly areas of Kishtwar, Kathua, Reasi, Doda, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu instead of the valley.
Meanwhile, during a function in Assam, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said that complete peace has been restored in Jammu and Kashmir due to the excellent performance of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force or CRPF.
He claimed, “There has been no stone-pelting incident in the last seven years after the abrogation of Article 370 and the forces have not had to fire a single bullet.”
He described Naxal militancy in India’s northeastern states and central India as three “hot spots” for India’s internal security and said that forces have restored peace in all three places. He claimed that Naxal militancy would be completely eliminated from India by March.
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