Two suspected Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists died in a gunfight with joint security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Thursday. The operation took place in the dense Brattal Sohan and Khubban forests of Majalta, an area bordering Kathua district, under conditions of heavy rain and poor visibility. White Knight Corps troops, alongside police and CRPF personnel, launched the targeted counter-terrorism strike based on confirmed intelligence inputs indicating terrorist presence in the general area of Brattal.
The timeline began last week when officials noticed the movement of a terrorist group in the forested region. Fresh inputs led security forces to cordon a specific area around 9 pm on Wednesday, triggering initial contact. After a period of relative quiet, the lull broke on Thursday morning when the terrorists opened heavy fire in a bid to break the cordon. Officials confirmed that both slain individuals are believed to be Pakistani nationals affiliated with the Pakistan-based proscribed outfit.
From the scene, investigators recovered a US-made M4 carbine, an AK assault rifle, and a large quantity of ammunition. A local youth, identified as an over-ground worker (OGW), was detained for questioning. The Jammu-based White Knight Corps stated in a post on X that search and surveillance operations remain active, with forces deployed to neutralize any remaining threats in the area.
This is the second significant encounter in Udhampur this year. In February, security forces killed two Pakistani terrorists in the Ramnagar forests, including a self-styled commander known as Rubani alias Abu Mavia, who had been active in the region for several years. The current operation highlights continued efforts to dismantle infiltration networks despite difficult terrain and weather conditions.