Operation Khandara: 2 terrorists killed in J&K’s Kathua, encounter continues

JAMMU: Two terrorists were shot dead Wednesday in an ongoing anti-terror operation at Khandara Top in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, which will vote on Oct 1. Earlier in the day, a BSF trooper was injured in a pre-dawn ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the international border in Jammu’s Akhnoor sector.

Operation Khandara comes amid heightened security in the Union territory, where assembly elections are set to take place from Sept 18 to Oct 1. The Jammu region has been grappling with a surge in terrorist attacks, resulting in 15 security force casualties since May 4.

A joint team of the Army’s Rising Star Corps and J&K Police responded to an intelligence input about the presence of terrorists at Khandara Top and launched a cordon-and-search operation, Army sources said. Around 12.50pm, as the security personnel neared a suspected terrorist hideout, holed-up terrorists opened fire at the search party, triggering an encounter. In the ensuing firefight, two terrorists were gunned down, Army officials said.

“Operations in progress,” Army’s Rising Star Corps later posted on X.

Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan breached the ceasefire truce and resorted to unprovoked firing on forward locations along the international border in Akhnoor sector around 2.35am, leaving a BSF trooper injured, officials said, adding that BSF personnel retaliated effectively to the violation.

A BSF official said troops were on high alert and were maintaining strict vigil along the international border as well as the Line of Control, ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the Union territory.