Two terrorists were killed during a joint counter-terrorism operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, with security forces continuing search and surveillance operations in the area to rule out any remaining threat.
The operation was launched in the Brattal Sohan and Khubban forest areas of Majalta after security forces received intelligence inputs regarding the presence and movement of terrorists. The operation began during the intervening night of September 16 and 17, 2026, with the area being cordoned off by a joint team of the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
According to the Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps, the operation was conducted despite heavy rain, difficult terrain and poor visibility. Security personnel established contact with the terrorists during the operation, leading to an exchange of fire.
The Army subsequently confirmed that two terrorists had been neutralised. Police later identified the slain terrorists as Saddam and Mustafa, with officials stating that they were Pakistani nationals and suspected to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
Security forces also recovered a range of weapons and ammunition from the encounter site. The recovered items included an AK-series assault rifle with four magazines, an M4 carbine with three magazines, a Glock pistol with two magazines and four grenades.
The operation involved coordinated action by the Army, J&K Police and CRPF, with additional forces deployed as the search progressed. Security personnel have continued combing the forested terrain using search and surveillance measures, including sniffer dogs and aerial surveillance, to check for any remaining terrorists or threats in the area.
The Udhampur operation comes amid continued counter-terror activity across the Jammu region. Security agencies have maintained heightened surveillance in the forested and mountainous areas of the region, where difficult terrain can make tracking and search operations challenging.
Officials said the search operation in the Udhampur area remains ongoing as security forces work to sanitise the operational zone and ensure that no remaining threat is present.