Srinagar: Two soldiers were killed and two others injured in an overnight exchange of fire with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district as the Army’s Operation Akhal entered its ninth day on Saturday, officials said.
The slain soldiers were identified as Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh. “Chinar Corps honors the supreme sacrifice of the Bravehearts, L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sep Harminder Singh, in the line of duty for the Nation. Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. The Indian Army expresses its deepest condolences and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families. Operation continues,” the Army said in a post on X.
With the latest casualties, the number of personnel injured in the operation has risen to 10, making it one of the Valley’s longest-running anti-terror offensives in recent years.
Operation Akhal began on August 1, when security forces launched a cordon-and-search in the forested Akhal area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district following specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists. More than five militants have been killed so far, while at least three others are believed to be hiding in dense forests, using natural cave-like shelters for cover.
The difficult terrain, marked by thick foliage and rocky caves, has slowed progress. Security forces have deployed drones, helicopters and Para commandos to track and neutralize the militants, who are reported to be heavily armed Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives equipped with night-vision devices and long-range rifles.
Intense exchanges of gunfire and explosions have been reported throughout the operation. Residents of Akhal village have started moving to safer areas, with local authorities appointing nodal officers to coordinate relief and emergency measures for affected families.
The operation follows a series of intensified counter-terror measures in Jammu and Kashmir after the April 22 Pahalgam attacks, in which Pakistan-based terrorists killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists. In the months since, the Army has conducted several targeted operations, including Operation Mahadev, in which the Lashkar terrorists behind the Pahalgam massacre were killed near Srinagar’s Dachigam area, and Operation Shiv Shakti, in which two more militants were eliminated.
Since April, around 20 high-profile terrorists have been killed in these operations, according to security officials.