Operation Akhal: Major Anti-Terror Push Enters Third Day

Credit: File Photo/ANI

A major anti-terror operation in the Akhal forests in Kulgam district entered its third day on August 3, marking it as one of the longest and most significant counter-terrorism operations of the year. 

The Operation is being conducted in the dense Akhal forest of the Pir Panjal mountain range in South Kashmir. It is being carried by a joint force of the Indian Army’s PARA commandos, 9 RR, Special Operations Group commandos of Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Operation Akhal began on August 1 (Friday) late at night following credible intelligence inputs about the presence of a terrorist group in the Akhal forest area, and on Sunday, it entered its third day. 

On the third day with heavy blasts and exchanges of fire continued throughout the day and the previous night. Sources say that three terrorists were killed by this point, but the body of only one terrorist was found, and the killing of only one terrorist is officially confirmed until now, as the other two bodies of terrorists are yet to be found. Three Indian Army soldiers sustained manageable injuries and are under treatment.

Operation Akhal: Timeline And Details

On Sunday, for surveillance of this dense forest, security forces used high-tech surveillance, including drones, UAVs, and helicopters, to trace the movement of hiding terrorists and targets hit by UBGL and automatic assault rifles, grenades, and motors. 

The search operation was launched on human intelligence on July 29, but contact was established on August 1. Terrorists hiding under forest cover opened fire on security forces, escalating the operation into a fierce gunfight. One terrorist was neutralized by the evening, identified as Haris Nazir Dar, a Category-C terrorist affiliated with LeT from Rajpura, Pulwama, active since June 24, 2023. Arms recovered from him included an AK-47 rifle, an AK magazine, and grenades. It confirmed that the group hiding is of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). 

On day two, the Operation continued with intermittent and intense firefights throughout the night, and sources informed that two more terrorists were neutralized, bringing the total to three. But the killing of those two was not officially confirmed, as no bodies were found.

A senior police officer indicated that two or three more terrorists might still be hiding in the area, as searching parties are being fired at from three directions.

Operation Akhal: 

Operation Akhal is the longest anti-terror operation of 2025. The Operation is a part of the efforts to counter terrorism in the mountain region of Pir Panjaal, which has been considered a safe haven for Pakistani terrorists for the last four years in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources in security forces say it’s a group of six terrorists. However, the exact number of terrorists still hiding remains speculative.

Operation Akhal is the third major encounter in Jammu and Kashmir within a week. Earlier Operation Mahadev on July 28, where three LeT terrorists linked to the Pahalgam attack were eliminated, followed by Operation Shivshakti on July 30, two terrorists while infiltrating at LoC in Poonch were neutralized. 

Senior officials, including the Director General of Police (DGP) and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, closely monitoring the situation, remained at the base camp of the spot. Today, Operation Akhal remains ongoing and will be halted for the night and will resume with the first light of day.