Soldier Killed in Doda-Udhampur Encounter; Jaish Terrorists Cornered

An Indian Army soldier was killed during a gunfight with terrorists near the Doda-Udhampur border in Jammu and Kashmir. Security forces suspect that three to four militants from the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group are currently trapped in the encounter.

The operation's location was initially identified as Kishtwar, but the Army later clarified that it was taking place at the Dudu-Basantgarh heights along the Doda-Udhampur axis. The White Knights Corps announced on X (formerly Twitter) that contact with the terrorists had been established and confirmed the ongoing operation at the Doda-Udhampur border.

A joint operation was initiated by the Army, Special Operations Group (SOG), and J&K Police based on specific intelligence inputs. During the initial exchange of gunfire, one soldier was wounded and later died at a military hospital.

This incident is the latest in a series of confrontations in the area. On June 26, 2025, security forces killed Haider, a top JeM commander who had been active in the Dudu-Basantgarh forests for four years. Earlier, on April 25, another soldier was killed during a similar operation in the same sector.

In a related development, the J&K Police’s Counter-Intelligence Unit conducted extensive searches across seven districts—Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag, Kupwara, Handwara, Pulwama, and Shopian. These searches led to the recovery of digital devices and documents associated with ongoing terrorist activities.

The operation at Doda-Udhampur is still active, with security forces working to neutralize the militants who are trapped.