Pak terrorist killed in Kashmir, first of 2025

SRINAGAR: Security forces killed a Pakistani terrorist during a gunfight Monday in a forested area of Handwara in north Kashmir's Kupwara district, 100km from Srinagar. This marked the first terrorist killing in Kashmir this year.

The gunfight erupted in the morning when J&K police, the Army, and CRPF launched a search operation after receiving intelligence about the terrorist's presence, a police officer said.

"As the forces approached a knoll where the terrorist was hiding, he started firing. The forces returned fire and killed the terrorist, identified as Saifullah," the officer said. Security forces found an AK-47 assault rifle, four magazines, and a pouch at the site.

This was the first counterterrorism operation in nearly two months in Kashmir. The last exchange of gunfire occurred Jan 20-21 in north Kashmir's Sopore, where a soldier was killed.

In Jammu, deputy CM Surinder Choudhary said Pakistan was attempting to destabilise the region. "All attempts would be foiled," he added.