NEW DELHI: Indian forces on Monday said they had eliminated seven terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district after nearly a year of sustained joint operations in the high-altitude Chatroo belt. The operation, carried out by the White Knight Corps along with Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF, followed months of tracking militants through dense forests and rugged mountainous terrain. Detailing the scale of the effort, the White Knight Corps said, “Relentless and painstaking high-altitude joint operations were conducted over 326 days in the Kishtwar region. Forces tracked terrorists in challenging conditions of cold, wet and freezing weather across daunting terrain, leading to multiple contacts.”According to the Corps, troops worked alongside Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF, drawing on a “well-knit intelligence grid established by civil and military intelligence agencies,” and have “finally eliminated all seven dreaded terrorists in Chatroo, Kishtwar.” The Army said modern tools played a central role, adding, “Technology in the form of FPV drones, satellite imagery, RPAs/UAVs, communication etc was continuously leveraged to assist in operations. ”Three members of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad were killed in an encounter in the forested foothills on Sunday. Officials said the militants opened fire from inside a mud house as search parties closed in. The structure caught fire during the gunfight, and the bodies recovered were charred beyond recognition. Preliminary assessments suggest one of those killed was Saifullah, a senior commander believed to have infiltrated nearly five years ago and linked to several deadly attacks.“The relentless pursuit & resolve of our forces, culminating in elimination of Saifullah and his associates, proves that nothing can stand against the determination, courage and valour of our men in uniform & Intelligence agencies,” the White Knight Corps said.Speaking about Operation Trashi-I, Major General A P S Bal, General Officer Commanding of Counter-Insurgency Force Delta, indicated that the militants had local backing. “There was a support system which was available to them and it cannot happen without the support system… it cannot be possible without any support and the police is fully aware of it and without taking names they (police) have the information and they will do requisite action against all of them…”Calling the mission a model of coordination, he said, “This recently concluded operation of Trashi is the perfect example of perseverance… seamless coordination at all levels… everybody contributed towards the success of this operation.” He added that the forces acted “in a very calm, composed, collective, collaborative manner,” achieving success “especially without suffering any casualties… except for the brave dog Tyson, who actually initiated the operation…”
