Three Suspected Militants Killed in Udhampur as Militancy Resurges in Jammu Region
Srinagar: The army said three militants were gunned down in two encounters on Wednesday (February 4) in the Jammu division of J&K, where militancy has reared its ugly head in recent years.
A defence spokesperson based in Jammu said that two militants were gunned down by security forces in the violence-affected Udhampur district.
The army said that the intelligence for the operation which led to the killing of two suspected militants was provided by J&K Police.
In a post on X, the Jammu based-White Knight Corps said that a joint team of the army’s counter-insurgency force (CIF) Delta, J&K police and Central Reserve Paramilitary Forces launched ‘Operation Kiya’ on Tuesday evening in Jophar forest of Basantgarh in Udhampur.
“#WhiteKnightCorps planned and executed (the) focused joint counter-terror operation in the general area of Jophar Forest, Basantgarh (J&K) in coordination with #JKP and #CRPF reinforcing the cordon, ensuring effective area domination to prevent escape of terrorists,” the post noted.
#WhiteKnightCorps | #OpKiya | Update
Operation KIYA
Based on specific intelligence input provided by @jmukmrpolice, troops of CIF Delta, #WhiteKnightCorps planned and executed a focused joint counter-terror operation in the general area of Jophar Forest, Basantgarh (J&K) in…
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) February 4, 2026
The army said that two militants were killed in a “calibrated and coordinated” operation which continued through the night. “The operation highlighted seamless inter-agency coordination, tactical precision and high standards of professionalism. Operation concluded successfully. Area remains under surveillance,” the post said.
It was not clear whether any arms or ammunition have been recovered. A video of the operation shows a projectile blasting the entrance of what looks like a cave on a steep mountain which is believed to have served as a hideout for the two men.
The identity of the two militants and their affiliation has not been revealed so far.
A report said that one of them is Abu Mavia, a “top commander” of the proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit while the second suspect is one Jabbar.
In recent years, militants have increasingly taken shelter inside cave-like structures in the girdle of mountains surrounding Jammu and Kashmir after attacking civilians and security forces, which makes it difficult for security forces to track them down.
Since 2023 when an army colonel and a major along with a deputy superintendent of J&K police were killed in a similar encounter at Kokernag in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, security forces avoid venturing into the higher reaches in J&K of which they have little knowledge.
Two militants including a local commander were gunned down in the encounter after a network of caves which served as their hideout was blasted using firepower and explosives, the army had said.
Hours after the operation in Udhampur concluded, an unidentified militant was killed in Kishtwar, where security forces have been locked in a cat-and-mouse battle with militants in the higher reaches of the district in Jammu division for more than a fortnight.
#WhiteKnightCorps | #OpTrashi-I | #OneTerroristKilled
OPERATION TRASHI-I | ONE TERRORIST KILLED
In the continuing search and elimination of terrorists in the Kishtwar region, where the hunt has already led to several contacts in the dense forests and challenging terrain,…
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) February 4, 2026
A soldier of the army’s elite special forces has laid down his life while at least seven more soldiers have suffered injuries in the ongoing operation.
Security forces believe that several groups of militants, most of them led by foreign militants, have taken refuge in the higher reaches of Udhampur, Doda and Kishtwar districts of Jammu division which was largely declared free of militancy when J&K was a state.
However, militancy has undergone a revival in parts of Jammu region, a stronghold of the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party, in the aftermath of the reading down of Article 370 in 2019.
Note: This report was updated with additional details since publication.
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