In a robust response to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, Indian security forces have eliminated 21 terrorists across six separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir. The operations, conducted by the Indian Army, CRPF, BSF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police, targeted both Pakistani nationals and local recruits linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), significantly reducing the number of active local terrorists, according to intelligence sources.

Operation Akhal: Kulgam Strike
The latest operation, codenamed Operation Akhal, took place in Kulgam, 70 km from Srinagar, neutralizing three LeT terrorists: Zakir Ahmed Gani (joined September 2023), Adil Rehman Dentu (Category-A, joined March 2021), and Harish Dar (Category-C, joined June 2024). The group was involved in local recruitment and aiding cross-border infiltrators.

Samba Sector: JeM Module Dismantled
In Samba, BSF troops eliminated seven Pakistani JeM terrorists in a high-intensity encounter. Their identities are under verification through forensic and biometric analysis, marking a significant blow to JeM’s network.

Also Read: Operation Akhal: Kulgam Anti-Terror Operation Intensifies

Shopian’s Kellar Forest: LeT Cell Neutralized
Three LeT terrorists were killed in Shopian’s dense Kellar Forest: Shahid Kutte (Category-A, linked to the 2024 resort shooting and BJP sarpanch assassination), Adnan Shafi Dar (Category-C, responsible for a migrant laborer’s murder), and Aamir Bashir (Category-C, TRF member tied to the Pahalgam attack).

Tral Forest: JeM Sleeper Cells Targeted
In Tral, three JeM terrorists—Asif Ahmed Sheikh, Aamir Nazir Wani, and Yawar Ahmed Bhatt (all Category-C)—were eliminated for reactivating sleeper cells in southern Kashmir.

Mulnar Village: Operation Mahadev Success
Operation Mahadev in Mulnar village killed three Pakistani LeT terrorists—Sulaiman, Afghan, and Jibran—confirmed by Home Minister Amit Shah as the perpetrators of the Pahalgam massacre.

Poonch: Operation Shivshakti
Two Pakistani LeT infiltrators were neutralized in Poonch under Operation Shivshakti, having recently crossed from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

UNSC Recognizes TRF’s Role
The United Nations Security Council officially named The Resistance Front (TRF), a LeT proxy, as responsible for the Pahalgam attack in a sanctions monitoring report, despite Pakistan’s diplomatic resistance. TRF initially claimed responsibility but later retracted, though two UN member states affirmed LeT’s involvement.

Operation Sindoor and Beyond
Post-Pahalgam, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, destroying nine launch pads and killing over 100 terrorists. The crackdown has reduced active terrorists in the Kashmir Valley to 70–75 and 60–65 in Jammu, Rajouri, and Poonch, with only four local recruits joining terror groups this year, signaling a setback for Pakistan-backed operations.

Also Read: Operation Mahadev: Lt Narwal’s Father Salutes Forces