Operation Kiya: Two Jaish terrorists, including top commander, killed in Udhampur encounter

Precision strike destroys JeM cave hideout in Udhampur, two terrorists killed

February 4, 2026

Army, J&K Police and CRPF eliminated of two Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists in a joint operation

Indian security forces on Tuesday killed two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists, including a top commander from Pakistan, in a joint counter-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, officials said.

The encounter took place in the Basantgarh area under Operation Kiya, which was launched on February 3 following specific intelligence inputs from the Jammu and Kashmir Police about the presence of terrorists in the region.

According to officials, a joint team comprising the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Counter Insurgency Force (CIF) Delta of the Indian Army’s White Knight Corps (16 Corps), and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) carried out the operation in the general area of Jophar Forest.

Cave hideout targeted

Security forces established contact with the terrorists on Tuesday and successfully prevented them from escaping. The militants were found hiding inside a cave, which was being used as a temporary base.

Sniffer dogs equipped with body-mounted cameras were deployed to detect the terrorists’ movement, while intermittent firing continued through the night. Following a calibrated and coordinated response, security forces fired rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) rounds at the mouth of the cave, neutralising both terrorists.

Among those killed was a senior Jaish commander identified as Maavi, a Pakistani national, officials said.

Arms and ammunition recovered

After the encounter, security forces recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from the site, including M4 rifles, an AK-47 assault rifle and large quantities of ammunition.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the White Knight Corps said:
“Contact with terrorists was established yesterday and since then terrorists were prevented from breaking contact. Following a calibrated and coordinated response, two terrorists have been successfully neutralised.”

“Operation concluded successfully. Area remains under surveillance. We Serve, We Protect!” the Army added.

Relief for locals, security boost

Officials said the terrorists had been operating in the area for several months and were planning to establish a permanent base and stockpile supplies. Their elimination has brought relief to local residents, particularly after a special police officer was killed in the same region on December 15 last year.

Security forces have maintained heightened surveillance in the area to rule out the presence of any additional militants.

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