JAMMU: The dynamics of terrorism seems to have undergone a change after the success of Operation Sindoor in May 2025 against several locations in Pakistan territory. Though the security forces are maintaining vigil, refusing to lower their guard, terrorists are in hiding, preferring not to carry out any strikes.
This seems like a new strategy adopted by the terrorists holed up in their hideouts in all 20 districts of the Union Territory (UT) of J&K. For the past several months, terrorists have remained dormant and not carried out any attacks on civilians or the security forces. Significantly, there have been some encounters in higher reaches, usually snowbound and in dense forests, but these started when the security forces chanced upon terrorist hideouts. Even when contact has been established, meaning an encounter between terrorists and the security forces, terrorists have invariably tried to escape.
Those who have watched terrorism unfold for the past three decades have noticed this new pattern: terrorists trying to break the cordon and escape. Instead of taking on the security forces head-on and engaging in heavy firing. One is not clear about the reasons of this apparently changed behaviour of terrorists in the UT.
The security forces have often launched cordon and search operations (CASO) after getting intelligence about the presence of terrorists in different areas. However, terrorists have invariably managed to stay ahead and sneak out of their hideouts. The destruction of some hideouts of terrorists has indicated that there is some local support for them. Otherwise, the hideouts in forests and other remote locations could not have been stocked up with rations, LPG gas cylinders, etc.
In a targeted CASO operation, security forces on January 30 intensified their ongoing anti-terror operation in the snowbound Chhatroo belt of Kishtwar district to track down and neutralise a group of three holed up Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists, according to official sources. This is at a time when the temperature in this area is below the freezing point, and there is a heavy accumulation of snow.
They said mobile internet services remained temporarily suspended within a 6 km radius covering Singhpora, Chingam and Chhatroo to prevent their misuse by anti-national elements during the ongoing operation. The operation in the area was launched on January 18, leading to a fierce gun battle in Sonnar forest near Mandral-Singhpora, resulting in the killing of a paratrooper and injuries to seven soldiers.
Although the terrorists managed to escape, taking advantage of thick vegetation and the challenging terrain, the security forces continued their hunt for the terrorists despite more than two feet of snowfall. Two more encounters took place between the army and the terrorists at Mali Dana top on January 22 and Janseer-Kandiwar on January 25 but the terrorists once again slipped deep into the forest area.
The suspension of mobile internet services in Singhpora, Chingam and Chhatroo has been extended till midnight January 30, the officials said, quoting an order issued by the J-K Home Department. The mobile internet services were suspended in the area on January 23 amid the ongoing operation.
The suspension was ordered by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, who is the authorised officer under the Temporary Suspension of Telecommunication Services Rules, 2024. The decision was taken to prevent the possible misuse of high-speed mobile data services by anti-national elements, which could lead to deterioration of public order, the officials said. Meanwhile, security forces have launched a search operation in Pajja Morh, Nabana top and adjoining areas in the Surankote area of Poonch district following information about the presence of two suspected persons. There was no contact with the suspected persons so far, the officials said, adding the operation is continuing when last reports were received.
Some days ago, the security forces had managed to neutralise a JeM terrorist in the Billawar tehsil of Kathua district. Kathua SSP Mohita Sharma had said later that it was a small police team which had been instrumental in killing that terrorist. However, the Army had refuted the claim by saying that an unnamed soldier had risked his life to carry out the strike against the Pakistani terrorist.
This is the first time in a very long time that the Western Command (WC) of the Army has contradicted a claim made by the UT police. The Western Command headquarters contradicted the claim of IGP Jammu Bhim Sen Tuti and SSP Kathua that terrorist Usman of Jaish was “neutralised by a small JKP team’’. Going a step further, the Western Command attributed the credit for the kill to a sepoy of the Sikh Light Infantry battalion. The WC also did not mention any joint operations being carried out.
Army’s Western Commander Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar visited Kathua and congratulated the troops who had eliminated a dreaded Pakistani terrorist in an encounter last week (on January 23). “Lt Gen Katiyar visited the Bani-Macchedi sector, Kathua and congratulated Sep XXX of the SIKH LI Regiment who had eliminated a dreaded JeM terrorist in a close encounter, risking his own life. He complimented the whole team for the relentless pursuit of the terrorist over several days and the surgical execution of the operation,” it said.
In her briefing, SSP Kathua Mohita Sharma had made four main points regarding the killing of Usman on January 23. A small JKP team had neutralised Jaish terrorist Usman, who was involved in at least six terror actions since 2024, including civilian killings. That specific intelligence regarding the terrorist was received at 1 pm on January 23. She had also said that the terrorist was at a location which entailed a four-hour walk from the roadhead. Mohita said that three hideouts have been busted this month.
In the past, such contradictory statements being issued by different security forces were a fairly common occurrence, sometimes leading to bad blood between the various elements.
