On the fifth day of Operation Trashi-I, a fresh encounter erupted between security forces and terrorists who are believed to be holed up in the dense forests of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district. The operation, which began on January 18 in Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhpora in the Chatroo belt, was initiated following intelligence reports about the presence of terrorists in the area.

During the initial phase of the operation, three soldiers sustained injuries when a search team encountered terrorists in the Sonnar area, northeast of Chatroo. The terrorists, believed to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), opened fire and threw grenades in an attempt to break the security cordon.

On Monday, a major terrorist hideout was discovered near the site of the encounter, leading to the detention of several individuals for questioning. As of today, security teams are continuing to comb the nearby forests, utilizing additional troops, drones, and sniffer dogs to locate the remaining suspects.

The situation escalated further on Thursday morning when a fresh contact was made with the terrorists in the Singhpora forests. Heavy firing ensued between the two sides, and efforts are underway to neutralize the terrorists. Officials believe that a group of two to three JeM-affiliated terrorists are trapped in the encounter.

Operation Trashi-I was launched after a gunfight on January 19 near Sonnar village left seven to eight soldiers injured. The troops discovered a large bunker at a height of 12,000 feet, filled with food supplies, which was linked to top JeM commanders. This discovery also indicated local support for the militants, leading to the detention of four villagers who allegedly assisted them.

Security forces are trying to identify the overground workers (OGWs) who helped the terrorists obtain and transport large quantities of supplies, enough to sustain at least four people during the winter months. The Army's White Knight Corps stated that the cordon has been tightened and search operations expanded, with troops, police, and CRPF deployed to dominate the area.

The ongoing operation marks the third conflict between security forces and terrorists in the Jammu region this year. Previous encounters occurred in the Kahog and Najote forests in the Billawar area of Kathua district on January 7 and 13, respectively.

Security has been intensified across the Jammu region ahead of Republic Day, amid intelligence inputs about renewed attempts by Pakistan-based handlers to push terrorists into the region. Operations have been further intensified to ensure peaceful celebrations.