Kulgam, Aug 12: The prolonged anti-terror operation in the Akhal forest area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district was officially called off on Tuesday, bringing to an end 12 days of one of the longest counter-terror operations in recent years.
An official informed the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the decision was taken after security forces, despite an exhaustive search through dense alpine forests and rugged terrain, found no fresh contact with the terrorists believed to have been hiding in the area.
“After continuous search and combing for nearly two weeks, and with no further movement detected, the operation was concluded this morning,” he said.
The encounter began on August 1 after specific intelligence inputs suggested the presence of at least two to three heavily armed terrorists in the higher reaches of Kulgam. The initial contact led to a gunfight that spread over several days.
Two Army soldiers—Pritpal Singh and Harminder Singh—were killed, while at least ten others sustained injuries. One local terrorist was also killed in the initial exchange of fire. Sources said it appears the remaining terrorists managed to break the cordon.
The operation was marked by intermittent bursts of heavy gunfire as terrorists reportedly shifted positions deep within the forest cover. Security forces deployed drones, sniffer dogs, high-tech surveillance equipment, and attack helicopters to locate possible hideouts, but the thick vegetation and steep slopes made access extremely challenging. Large parts of the forest were cordoned off, with additional reinforcements rushed in from the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF, and elite Para (Special Forces).
A security official said that given the topography and the fact that the forest connects to higher ridges towards Pir Panjal, it is possible the terrorists managed to slip away during the operation.
The official said that while the encounter site has been cleared, surveillance in the area will remain tight to prevent any possible reappearance of terrorists.
Unlike urban encounters, terrorists in these cases often choose treacherous mountain and forest terrain, forcing prolonged gunfights and large-scale troop deployment.
As a result, troops often suffer casualties in such protracted operations, and flushing out terrorists from jungles requires sustained cordon and search in difficult terrain and dense forests—(KNO)
