Kishtwar encounter: Army eliminates wanted JeM terrorist Saifullah, 2 others
In a big security push, the Indian Army and allied forces eliminated three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists—including Saifullah, a wanted commander with a ₹20 lakh bounty—in Kishtwar's Passerkut area on Sunday (Feb 22, 2026).
The encounter was part of Operation Trashi-I and started when the group opened fire on security teams.
Saifullah behind attacks that killed soldiers
One of the men is believed to be Saifullah, who had slipped into India five years ago and managed to escape multiple previous encounters. He was behind several attacks, including one in July 2024 that killed four soldiers.
The encounter took place nearly 35 days after Operation Trashi-I was launched following tips from police and intelligence agencies.
With seven JeM infiltrators neutralized this year, officials say there are now no foreign terrorists left in the Kishtwar-Doda region—a result praised by Lt Gen Pratik Sharma for its precision.