The Kashmir Valley has been rocked by a fresh wave of militant violence on Saturday, with security forces eliminating three militants, including a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, in twin encounters in the Khanyar area of Srinagar and in Anantnag district.
Two more attacks took place in Budgam and Bandipora.
In Budgam, militants targeted and injured two migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh. In Bandipora, an exchange of fire between militants and security forces led to a brief encounter, though no casualties were reported, as the militants fled into nearby forests.
Brigadier Anirudh Chauhan, Commander of the 2 Sector Rashtriya Rifles (RR), described the success as a major setback to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), which have heightened activities across Jammu and Kashmir.
Seventeen out of the Union Territory's 20 districts have recently witnessed terror-related incidents, as militants intensify their attacks across the region.
Within the past three weeks alone, eight of the ten districts in the Kashmir Valley, including Ganderbal, Baramulla, Shopian, Pulwama, Bandipora, Budgam, and Srinagar, have seen a marked increase in violence.
The recent operations come amid heightened concerns over militant activity, as security forces work to secure densely populated urban areas.
Meanwhile, regions of Jammu are also on high alert, as nine out of ten districts—including Kathua, Doda, Rajouri, Reasi, Udhampur, Samba, Ramban, Kishtwar, and Poonch—remain vulnerable to militant incursions.
The mountainous terrain has posed strategic challenges, making the Jammu region increasingly attractive to militants since 2022.
Addressing a press conference, Brigadier Chauhan stated, “The Indian Army and J&K Police conducted a successful joint operation, Operation Halkan Gali, in challenging terrain. A breakthrough came when we received confirmed intelligence that the group had returned to Laroo and was operational in the area.”
Separately, security forces eliminated the prominent Lashkar commander Usman Bhai in Srinagar’s Khanyar locality.
This surge in militant violence has raised concerns among security experts, who warn that the recent period of peace in Kashmir may have only driven militancy underground rather than eliminating it entirely.
With the situation rapidly evolving, security forces along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) are ramping up vigilance to intercept potential infiltration from Pakistan.
As the newly formed government grapples with the resurgence of militancy, the presence of militants in Srinagar's city centre raises questions about the reach of these groups.
The current spate of violence represents a critical test for the government’s counter-terrorism strategy and the region's fragile stability.
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