Udhampur Encounter: Two Jaish Commanders Killed in Operation KIYA; US and Russian-Made Rifles Recovered

Udhampur: First visuals from the Udhampur encounter have emerged, showing Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attempting to escape during a joint counter-terror operation that culminated in the killing of two senior Jaish commanders, Mavi and Zubair, officials said.

The encounter took place in the Ramnagar–Basantgarh belt of Udhampur district, where Operation KIYA was launched based on specific intelligence inputs provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Troops of CIF Delta under the Indian Army’s White Knight Corps, along with the JK Police and CRPF, planned and executed a focused operation in the Jophar forest area to trap the terrorists and prevent their escape.

Contact with the terrorists was established a day earlier. During the operation, terrorists were caught on camera attempting to flee from a cave, prompting security forces to open fire to block the escape route. One terrorist was hit while trying to flee, and forces continued to maintain a tight cordon to prevent the militants from breaking contact.

Initially, two to three Jaish terrorists were believed to be trapped in the forested area. Following a calibrated and coordinated response, both trapped militants were eventually neutralised. The Indian Army later confirmed that two terrorists had been successfully killed, bringing the operation to a close.

The slain terrorists were identified as Jaish commanders Mavi and Zubair, both described as Pakistani guerrilla warfare-trained operatives. Their killing is considered a major blow to the Jaish-e-Mohammed network operating in the region.

Security forces recovered US-made and Russian-made rifles from the encounter site, underlining the use of sophisticated foreign-origin weapons by the terrorists.

In an official statement, the Indian Army said Operation KIYA demonstrated seamless inter-agency coordination, effective area domination, tactical precision and high standards of professionalism. While the operation has been concluded successfully, the area remains under surveillance as a precautionary measure.

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