A gunfight erupted between terrorists and security forces in the Khankoo forest area of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, July 20, 2025. The encounter began when a joint search operation was launched by the police and the Indian Army, acting on intelligence reports indicating terrorist movement between the Dachhan and Nagseni areas.

According to officials, the terrorists opened fire upon spotting the security personnel, who returned fire, leading to an exchange that lasted for some time. As of now, there have been no reported casualties on the side of the security forces. Additional reinforcements have been rushed to the area to support the ongoing operation. Security forces are conducting intensive search operations to track down and neutralize the terrorists.

The Army confirmed the operation, stating it was launched in the Hadal Gal area of Kishtwar Sector based on specific intelligence inputs. They further added that contact had been established with the terrorists and the operation was in progress. Sources indicate that three to four terrorists are believed to be trapped in the area. Initial reports suggest the terrorists may belong to the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group.

Kishtwar, located in the Jammu Division, is a hilly region with terrain that connects the district to South Kashmir. On July 3, 2025, security forces engaged with a group of terrorists in the Kanzal Mandu area of the Kuchal-Chatroo belt, though the group managed to escape at that time.

In a separate incident in South Kashmir’s Anantnag, a suspect was apprehended after a facial recognition system flagged an alert.

Security forces have been carrying out aggressive operations against terrorists, Over Ground Workers (OGWs), and sympathizers to dismantle the terror ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir. These efforts intensified after the April 22 attack on civilians by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists in Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians.