A massive multi-tier combing operation to track down a group of infiltrating terrorists continued for the fourth consecutive day in forested areas of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. The operation, involving the army, NSG, BSF, police, Special Operation Group, and CRPF, is supported by helicopter, UAVs, drones, bulletproof vehicles, and sniffer dogs. The operation was launched on Sunday evening following an encounter between security forces and terrorists hiding in a nursery. Security agencies have questioned several persons in various areas and picked up three suspects for questioning.
'Surgical strikes or air strikes, or both, are likely on the table.'
India's strikes on Pakistan damaged runways and structures across at least six airfields, according to a visual analysis by The Washington Post, which experts said were the most significant attacks of their kind in decades of simmering conflict between the two nations.
Balwinder Singh Chib, a police officer in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, was killed in an encounter with Pakistani terrorists, continuing a legacy of sacrifice that spans three generations of his family. Chib's great-grandfather and uncle were also martyred in the line of duty, and his brother died during World War I. The family is venerated in their village for their history of patriotism and sacrifice.
India on Thursday night swiftly foiled Pakistan's attempts to hit various key Indian installations including military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur with drones and missiles, the defence ministry said.
Security forces on Saturday extended the ongoing search operation to new areas after the body of the fourth policeman and two slain terrorists were recovered from the scene of a gunfight in a remote forested area in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
'The lesson Beijing would have learned is that there is, cost-benefit wise, no better option than to keep the Pakistan military supplied with its most advanced armaments, certain that in hostilities with India these would be used for maximum effect.'
'They were planning collection of arms dropped by drones and supply to active terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Kashmir valley; planting a vehicle-based IED in Jammu before 15th August and reconnaissance of important targets in other parts of the country'
Two terrorists were killed and five security personnel were injured in a fierce gun battle in a remote forested area of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir. The encounter, which involved a group of approximately five terrorists, triggered intense firing and explosions. The gunfight, centered near Jakhole village, resulted in injuries to Special Police Officer Bharat Chalotra, who sustained facial wounds. Three security personnel, including a Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), were reportedly trapped near the gunfight's location. The terrorists were moving through the forest area when a police party headed by an SDPO moved in after getting specific information. Reinforcements from the police, army, and CRPF were immediately deployed to the area.
'Fears in Washington began to intensify when it was realised that subsequent Pakistani and Indian attacks on major military facilities -- which were significant in terms of geographic scope and intensity -- could rapidly take both sides to where neither actually wanted to go.' 'The US objective was to stop the fighting as soon as possible. Everything else was secondary.'
Buoyed by their win in the first Test in Perth, the Indian cricket team arrived in Canberra for the mid-series two-day game against the Australia Prime Minister's XI on November 30 and December 1 ahead of the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide on December 6.
China on Thursday sought to defend its move to block a proposal by the United States and India at the United Nations to blacklist Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) deputy chief Abdul Rauf Azhar, saying it needs more time to assess the application.
"Whether it is in Afghanistan or against India, groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) continue to operate with both impunity and encouragement," India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar said
The terrorists had spent around Rs six lakh on procurement of explosives and the Maruti Eeco car used in the attack, the NIA said in its chargesheet.
The Prime Minister's XI team will be led by uncapped all-rounder Jack Edwards of New South Wales.
Officials said that 22-year-old Shakir Bashir Magrey, a furniture shop owner and resident of Hajibal, Kakapora in Pulwama, had provided shelter and other logistical assistance to suicide-bomber Adil Ahmad Dar.
India has slammed Pakistan for stating that it had no role in the Pulwama attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror group JeM, saying Islamabad could not claim that it was unaware of the presence of terror groups on its soil as the links of such outfits to the country were there for everyone to see.
India, the FS said, expects Pakistan to dismantle all terror camps, including those of the JeM
Australia are already without another regular all-rounder in Cameron Green, who was ruled out of the India series after opting to have surgery on a stress fracture in his lumbar spine.
The encounter broke out in Budgam's Zolwa village late on Thursday.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in the 2020 Country Reports on Terrorism issued on Thursday, said that regionally, terrorist groups continued to operate from Pakistan.
According to intelligence reports, the terrorists entered the Akhnoor region through the Battal area, and a wireless set seized from them confirmed their association with the JeM.
The report came amid speculation on social media that JeM founder has died.
"The FATF plenary decided continuation of Pakistan in 'Grey List' till its next meeting to be held in October," an official privy to the development told PTI.
The pre-dawn operation, described as "non-military" and "preemptive" struck a five-star resort style camp on a hilltop forest and caught the terrorists in their sleep.
The police asked people and officials to ensure the video was not forwarded to anyone in any manner.
Following the arrest of a top terrorist who had made a video of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval's office, it has come to light that Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad is planning a strike in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh said on Sunday.
He said the JeM handler, who is in his late 20s, was in the tribal area of Pakistan when he communicated around 18 times with the terrorists.
The two men arrested are Shahnawaz Ahmad Teli from Kulgam and Aquib Ahmad Malik from Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.
Qari Yasir was involved in last year's Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel died, police and army officers said.
Of the 18 terrorists killed, 14 belonged to JeM including its "six main commanders", the Lt. Gen., flanked by IGP Kashmir S P Pani and IG CRPF Zulfiqar Hassan, said.
The 13,500-page chargesheet names Masood Azhar, his brothers -- Abdul Rauf and Ammar Alvi -- and his nephew Mohammed Umer Farooq, who had infiltrated into India in 2018 and was subsequently killed in one of the encounters in South Kashmir.
An Army captain lost his life while four terrorists are believed to have been killed in an ongoing operation in the higher reaches of Jammu region's Doda district on Wednesday, officials said.
"Time has come for Pakistan to decide in its own interests. We will do what's in Pakistan's interests," Qureshi told Geo TV in an interview.
Pakistan on Thursday confirmed that banned JeM chief Masood Azhar has been taken into "protective custody" along with his accomplices, but clarified he isn't arrested."
The powerful UN Security Council on Thursday strongly condemned the 'heinous and cowardly' terror attack.
The 3 arrested were in continuous touch through WhatsApp with Maulana Mufti Ashghar, based in Muzaffarabad, whose nephew Waqas (JeM commander in South Kashmir) was killed in an encounter near Pulwama recently.
In a joint operation, the army and the police in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir apprehended a Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist, who carried out an attack three months ago along with his three associates at an army camp near the Line of Control in Tanghdar area of North Kashmir's Kupwara District.
'We hope that the situation in Afghanistan does not pose a challenge to its neighbours and its territory is not used by terrorist groups'
The 13th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team cites a UN Member State as saying that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Deobandi group ideologically closer to the Taliban "maintains eight training camps in Nangarhar, three of which are directly under Taliban control."
