Combined Forces Launch Search Operation in Kishtwar District, J&K Following VDG Alert

Jammu, Dec 24 (NationPress) Combined security forces initiated a cordon and search operation on Tuesday after village defence guards (VDGs) discharged their weapons upon observing suspicious activity in J&K’s Kishtwar district.
VDG members had fired multiple shots after detecting unusual movement in the Kuntwara area of Kishtwar - the same location where terrorists claimed the lives of two VDG members on November 7.
According to officials, the operation was launched after VDG members reported the suspicious activity in the vicinity.
In light of the recent spate of terrorist attacks in the hilly regions of Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kathua, Kishtwar, Reasi, and Udhampur districts in the Jammu division, the J&K Police has opted to reinforce the VDG committees by equipping them with superior weaponry and enhanced team structures.
Terrorists have consistently regarded the VDGs as the eyes and ears of the security apparatus and a major obstacle in their malicious anti-national pursuits.
In numerous instances, VDGs have successfully thwarted terrorist attempts to harm civilians, aiming to instill fear and ensure compliance with the terrorists' demands.
More than 4,000 elite soldiers from the Para commando forces have been deployed in the mountainous terrains of these districts to prevent terrorists from gaining the element of surprise during assaults on security personnel.
Terrorists have previously executed ambush attacks targeting the army, police, other security forces, and civilians in these regions. After reevaluating their tactics, security forces were better positioned to monitor terrorist movements in the densely forested areas, which terrorists used for hit-and-run strategies. Moreover, the orchestrators of terrorism situated across the border have utilized drones to smuggle in drugs, weapons, and cash to sustain the waning insurgency in J&K.