Rajouri anti-terror op enters Day 4; Northern Army Commander reviews Operation Sheruwali
Synopsis
Four days into Operation Sheruwali, the Northern Army Commander has stepped into the Rajouri forests personally — a signal of how high the stakes are. With reportedly hardcore Pakistani terrorists Abu Hamza and Iliyas Fauji believed trapped in the Dorimal Gambhir Mughlan cordon, this standoff is as much about inter-agency coordination as it is about firepower.
Key Takeaways
Operation Sheruwali in Rajouri's Dorimal Gambhir Mughlan forests entered its fourth day on 27 May 2025 .
Lt Gen Pratik Sharma , Northern Army Commander, visited the area for an operational review and situational assessment.
He met representatives of the Indian Army , JKP , IB , and CRPF to strengthen inter-agency coordination.
Reports suggest 2-3 Pakistani terrorists , reportedly including Abu Hamza and Iliyas Fauji , are trapped in the cordoned area — though there is no official identity confirmation .
The operation was triggered by intelligence inputs and began with a CASO launched on Sunday .
The anti-terrorist operation in Rajouri district, Jammu and Kashmir, entered its fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, 27 May, as Lt General Pratik Sharma, the Northern Army Commander, visited the operational area for a direct assessment. The operation, code-named Operation Sheruwali, is focused on the Dorimal Gambhir Mughlan forest area, where joint security forces have cordoned off a section believed to shelter 2-3 Pakistani terrorists.
Army Commander's Operational Review
Lt Gen Pratik Sharma visited the Gambhir Mughlan area to conduct an operational review and situational assessment, according to a post by the Nagrota-headquartered White Knight Corps on X. He interacted with representatives of local Indian Army formations, the Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and other stakeholders to review evolving operational dynamics and strengthen inter-agency coordination.
The Army Commander also engaged directly with troops deployed in the area. According to the corps post, he 'commended their relentless resolve, high morale and steadfast commitment while operating in a demanding environment.' He urged all teams to 'pursue the objective with professional acumen, precision and a shared sense of purpose.'
How the Operation Began
The gunfight was triggered on Sunday when joint security forces launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) in the Dorimal Gambhir Mughlan forests following intelligence inputs about terrorist presence in the area. Contact was established with the hiding militants, initiating what has now stretched into a multi-day standoff.
Who Is Reportedly Trapped
Reports indicate that the 2-3 trapped terrorists include Abu Hamza and Iliyas Fauji, both reportedly Pakistani nationals linked to attacks on security forces in Rajouri during 2023 and 2024. However, there has been no official confirmation of the identities of the trapped individuals as of Wednesday. Security officials have described at least two of them as 'hardcore terrorists.'
Pattern of Violence in Poonch-Rajouri
The Poonch-Rajouri sector has witnessed a sustained pattern of counter-terror operations and militant attacks in recent years, making it one of the most active theatres of counter-insurgency activity in Jammu and Kashmir. Operation Sheruwali is the latest in a series of intense security engagements in this belt. This comes amid broader efforts by security forces to neutralise terror networks that have reportedly regrouped in the forested highlands of the region.
With the cordon holding and senior command oversight now in place, the operation is expected to continue until the security forces achieve their stated objective.
Point of View
And the reported presence of named Pakistani nationals like Abu Hamza and Iliyas Fauji — if confirmed — would underscore a pattern of cross-border infiltration that intelligence agencies have struggled to fully interdict. What mainstream coverage underplays is the inter-agency friction that operations like these expose: the Army, CRPF, IB, and JKP each operate on different protocols, and the emphasis on 'synergy' in official statements often signals that coordination is a work in progress rather than a given. The real measure of Operation Sheruwali will not be the body count but whether it disrupts the network, not just the individuals.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Operation Sheruwali in Rajouri?
Operation Sheruwali is an ongoing anti-terrorist operation in the Dorimal Gambhir Mughlan forest area of Rajouri district, Jammu and Kashmir. It was launched on Sunday after intelligence inputs indicated the presence of terrorists in the area, and has now entered its fourth day as of 27 May 2025.
Who visited the Rajouri operation site on 27 May?
Lt General Pratik Sharma, the Northern Army Commander, visited the Gambhir Mughlan area on 27 May for an operational review and situational assessment of Operation Sheruwali. He interacted with Indian Army, JKP, IB, and CRPF representatives and commended the deployed troops.
Who are the terrorists reportedly trapped in the Rajouri forests?
Reports suggest the trapped individuals include Abu Hamza and Iliyas Fauji, both reportedly Pakistani nationals linked to attacks on security forces in Rajouri in 2023 and 2024. However, security agencies have not officially confirmed the identities of those trapped as of Wednesday.
Why is the Poonch-Rajouri sector significant?
The Poonch-Rajouri sector has been one of the most active counter-insurgency zones in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years, witnessing multiple significant operations and militant attacks. Operation Sheruwali is the latest in a series of intense security engagements in this forested highland belt.
How did Operation Sheruwali begin?
The operation was initiated on Sunday following intelligence inputs about terrorist presence in the Dorimal Gambhir Mughlan forests. Joint security forces launched a cordon and search operation, made contact with the hiding militants, and have maintained the cordon since, with 2-3 terrorists reportedly still trapped inside.
