What Led to the Gunfight Between Security Forces and Terrorists in J&K’s Kishtwar District?
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Jammu. Jan 18 (NationPress) A gunfight erupted on Sunday between security forces and terrorists in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials reported that the clash initiated in the Singhpora area after security forces conducted a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) based on credible intelligence regarding the presence of terrorists.
During the operation, the concealed terrorists opened fire, leading to a retaliatory response from the forces, thus escalating into an encounter.
“Additional reinforcements have been dispatched to the scene, and the area has been secured to prevent any escape by the terrorists. Active firing exchanges are ongoing in the vicinity,” officials stated.
Hilly regions within the Jammu division, including Kathua, Poonch, Rajouri, Kishtwar, Doda, Udhampur, and Reasi, have come under scrutiny by security forces following intelligence reports of Pakistani terrorists moving through the forested mountainous terrain.
Joint forces have previously engaged terrorists in Kathua, Udhampur, and other districts, but the terrorists have managed to evade capture, utilizing the dense forests and nighttime cover.
In a high-level security review meeting regarding Jammu and Kashmir on January 8, led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, the terrorist presence in the hilly districts was extensively discussed.
HM Shah issued explicit directives for coordinated, sustained, and intelligence-driven operations aimed at eliminating terrorists from these mountainous regions and ensuring no infiltration occurs from across the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in the region.
The LoC extends over 740 km, while the IB measures 240 km within Jammu and Kashmir. The army is responsible for securing the LoC, whereas the Border Security Force (BSF) oversees the IB.
The LoC is situated in the districts of Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora in the Kashmir Valley, as well as partially in Jammu district.
The IB is located in the districts of Samba, Kathua, and Jammu in the Jammu division.