VIDEO | Suspected Terrorist Hideout Cave Blown Up In J&K’s Kishtwar Amid Ongoing Op Akhal

File Photo (ANI)

A cave, suspected to be used by terrorists, has been blown up by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district as part of an ongoing anti-terror operation in the mountainous region. The operation, which began yesterday, intensified on Sunday morning when contact was established following specific intelligence inputs indicating the presence of terrorists.

The army reported that the contact led to heavy firing and explosions. By Monday morning, troops targeted and demolished a natural cave believed to have served as a terrorist hideout. Massive explosions were seen at the cave’s entrance, followed by fire and a plume of smoke. It remains unclear whether any terrorists were killed in the assault.

Kishtwar Encounter LIVE | Security forces have trapped 2 Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists hiding inside a cave. Army has engaged with rocket launchers. Fierce gunbattle underway.  #Kishtwar #IndianArmy #TerrorFreeJammuKashmir pic.twitter.com/sQMl9vupdn

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Kishtwar and seven other districts in the Jammu province have become a significant security concern due to the increased infiltration of highly trained terrorists from Pakistan. The region, which had remained largely free from terrorism until 2021, has since witnessed several major attacks and encounters.

While the Kishtwar operation continues, hundreds of troops are also engaged in one of the longest-running anti-terror operations currently underway in the dense forests of Akhal in Kulgam district.

The encounter, now in its 11th day, has seen heavy resistance. Two Indian Army soldiers were killed and two others injured on Saturday when terrorists, entrenched in the alpine terrain, launched grenade attacks. The operation was launched on 1 August, and during the initial exchange of fire, one local terrorist was killed. However, as the gun battle moved deeper into the forest, the terrain and enemy entrenchment made progress difficult.

According to an NDTV report, so far, official sources confirm that 10 security personnel have been injured in the encounter. Drones have also been deployed, seen dropping explosives on suspected terrorist positions within the dense, mountainous forest of Akhal, amid continued gunfire and intermittent explosions.