Kashmir gunbattle enters 10th day, two soldiers and two militants dead

Security forces patrol the area as ‘Operation Akhal’ continues for the 10th day, in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday.

A gunbattle between security forces and terrorists in south Kashmir’s Akhal area entered its 10th day on Sunday, making it one of the longest such operations in the region in recent years. 

Two soldiers and two terrorists have been killed since the fighting began on Aug. 1, after troops received intelligence about terrorists  hiding in dense forests about 12 km from south Kashmir.

In the initial exchange of fire, two terrorists  were killed. Their identity and group affiliation have not yet been confirmed. Security forces have tightened the cordon, blocked escape routes, and deployed drones and helicopters to locate the remaining fighters, believed to number between five and six.

Troops are carrying out cautious ground searches while helicopters provide aerial surveillance and support, sources said. On Friday night, two soldiers – Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh – were killed and two others injured in heavy gunfire as forces pushed deeper into the forest.

Sources said the operation was among the most challenging in recent years due to rugged terrain and thick forest cover. In October 2021, a search for militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district lasted nearly three weeks, after terrorists killed nine soldiers, in what was one of the longest encounters in the the past 35 years of militancy.

Top police and army officials, including Jammu and Kashmir police chief Nalin Prabhat and Northern Army Commander Lt. Gen. Pratik Sharma, are closely monitoring the operation.

Residents near the encounter site have demanded relocation, and the administration has issued helpline numbers for emergencies.

Separate clash in Kishtwar

In a separate incident, an encounter broke out in Kishtwar district early on Sunday after security forces launched a search operation in the Dul area following intelligence reports of militant presence.

The Indian Army’s White Knight Corps said on X, formerly Twitter: “Alert Indian Army troops, while carrying out an intelligence-based operation, have established contact with terrorists in general area of Dul in Kishtwar in early hours of 10 August 2025. Gunfire exchanged, operation under progress.”

Published on August 10, 2025