Tragically, two soldiers lost their lives during a confrontation with terrorists in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Two army soldiers tragically lost their lives during a fierce clash with terrorists in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, marking the ninth day of this intense gunfight on Saturday. This encounter has turned out to be one of the longest in recent memory, with terrorists seemingly well entrenched in a thickly forested area. The Chinar Corps paid tribute to the ultimate sacrifice made by the Bravehearts, L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sep Harminder Singh, stating, "Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. The Indian Army expresses its deepest condolences and stands in solidarity with the grieving families. The operation continues," as shared in a post on X. According to official sources, two additional soldiers were injured in the overnight skirmish, bringing the total number of injured to ten. Hundreds of troops are engaged in one of the largest anti-terror operations aimed at locating the hiding terrorists. During these operations, security forces have deployed drones and attack helicopters to neutralize the terrorists, who seem to be well-trained in jungle warfare. Amidst heavy gunfire and sporadic explosions, drones have been spotted dropping explosives on targeted areas within the dense alpine forests of Akhal. Troops, including special forces and paratroopers, are proceeding with caution as helicopters hover overhead and drones continue to strike suspected hideouts in the woods. The encounter kicked off last Friday when the Army, police, and CRPF launched a joint operation after receiving a tip-off about a significant group of terrorists in the Akhal area. In the initial exchange of fire, one local terrorist was killed. High-ranking police and army officials are frequently visiting the site to oversee the operation. "Yes, it's taking time due to the challenging terrain and forested area. But we will track them down," stated Nalin Prabhath, the Director General of Police in J&K, who is personally overseeing the operation. According to sources within the police, there was intel regarding the presence of five terrorists when the operation kicked off. Reports suggest that at least three of them are foreign operatives, seemingly well-trained in jungle warfare. In Kashmir, there are very few local terrorists left who have the skills to confront security forces. The Kulgam operation was initiated just days after security forces took down three terrorists during an encounter in the higher altitudes of Srinagar. The terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam massacre were eliminated in a carefully orchestrated operation. Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed Parliament that the three were identified as Pakistani terrorists linked to the horrific killings of 26 individuals in Pahalgam on April 22.

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