2 Pakistani JeM terrorists killed, 1 suspect detained in J&K's Udhampur

Two Pakistani terrorists belonging to the proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) were killed and an alleged over-ground worker (OGW) was detained during a joint counter-terrorism operation in a remote forest area of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district, officials said on Thursday.

The operation by the Army, police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was launched in the dense Brattal Sohan and Khubban forests of Majalta, bordering Kathua district, amid heavy rain and poor visibility.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police identified the slain terrorists as Pakistani nationals Saddam and Mustafa.

The Army's White Knight Corps said the operation was launched during the intervening night of September 16 and 17 after intelligence inputs indicated the presence of terrorists in the Brattal area.

Despite difficult terrain, hostile weather and poor visibility, security forces launched a targeted operation that resulted in the killing of two terrorists, it said.

"The operation is still in progress, with search and surveillance continuing in the area. Security forces remain deployed to track and neutralise any remaining threat," the White Knight Corps said in a post on X.

An AK-series assault rifle with four magazines, an M4 carbine with three magazines, a Glock pistol with two magazines and four grenades were recovered from the encounter site, police said.

Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma praised the White Knight Corps for the operation, saying the joint action reflected coordination among the Army, police and CRPF.

Officials said security forces had been tracking a group of terrorists after their movement was noticed in a forest area last week.

The forces cordoned off the area around 9 pm on Wednesday after receiving fresh intelligence inputs, leading to the initial exchange of fire.

A few rounds of firing and blasts were heard after the operation began, but the area remained largely quiet through the night. The lull ended on Thursday morning when the terrorists opened heavy fire in an attempt to break the cordon, officials said.

Reinforcements were rushed to the area and the search operation continued.

A local man suspected to be an OGW of the JeM was also detained for questioning, officials said.

This was the second major encounter in Udhampur district this year. In February, two Pakistani terrorists, including self-styled commander Rubani alias Abu Mavia, were killed in the Ramnagar forests.

The Kathua-Udhampur-Doda mountain belt has historically been used by JeM terrorists to establish hideouts and evade security forces after infiltrating from across the border.

Security forces have conducted sustained operations in the upper reaches to dismantle such networks and deny terrorists safe passage and shelter, officials said.

Security agencies continue to maintain heightened surveillance and conduct searches in remote forest areas based on intelligence inputs and assessments of possible terrorist movement.

In Doda, four terrorists and five security personnel were killed in separate encounters in 2025, while four terrorists and a security personnel were killed in adjoining Kishtwar district this year. Last year, three terrorists and a security personnel were killed there.

Kishtwar recorded the deaths of three security personnel and two civilians in 2024.

In Udhampur, two terrorists, a security personnel and a civilian were killed in 2024, while a terrorist and three security personnel died in 2025.

Kathua recorded the highest casualties among the four districts in 2024, with two terrorists and seven security personnel killed. In 2025, seven people -- three terrorists and four security personnel -- were killed there, while one terrorist has been killed in 2026 so far.