Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, May 15: Security forces on Tuesday killed three local terrorists affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) during an encounter in the Shukro Keller area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
An official said that a joint team comprising police, Army and CRPF launched a search operation in the Nader area of Tral after receiving specific intelligence about terrorists’ presence. As the forces intensified their search, terrorists fired upon them, prompting a retaliatory gunfight, the official added.
“During the encounter, three terrorists were neutralised, and arms and ammunition were recovered from the site,” he said. The slain terrorists have been identified as Asif Ahmad Sheikh, son of Gh Mohammad Sheikh from Monghama Tral (active since April 2022); Aamir Nazir Wani, son of Nazir Ahmad Wani from Khasipora Tral (active since April 2024); and Yawar Ahmad Bhat, son of Nazir Ahmad Bhat from Larow Tral (active since August 2024).
Speaking to reporters, IGP Kashmir V K Birdi, said security forces received specific inputs about terrorists’ presence in the area this morning. A cordon was established, leading to an encounter with the holed-up terrorists.
“During the operation, the terrorists were engaged, resulting in the death of three terrorists near the debris,” Birdi said. “This is part of an all-out effort to dismantle the terror ecosystem operating in the region. The swift action by security forces aims to keep the situation under control.”
An official said the elimination of these terrorists, along with the recovery of arms and ammunition, is a big blow to their operational capabilities in south Kashmir. He said the terrorists involved in multiple attacks over recent months were neutralised, and a large cache of arms was recovered from the site.
Notably, the houses of terrorists Asif and Aamir were demolished last month following the killing of 26 tourists in Pahalgam.
It is important to note that six terrorists have been killed in south Kashmir in the last 48 hours, including the three local JeM terrorists in the Shukro Keller encounter.
