Indian Army Engages Terrorists in Fierce Gunfight in J&K's Kishtwar

Indian Army troops engaged in a gunfight with terrorists in a forest area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district. Operation Keshwan is in progress.

KISHTWAR, JAMMU AND KASHMIR: The Indian Army on Sunday, September 21, 2025, exchanged fire with a group of terrorists in the Keshwan forest area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district. The gunfight, which began around 1:00 PM, is part of an ongoing intelligence-based operation codenamed "Operation Keshwan."

The Army's White Knight Corps confirmed the development in a post on X, stating that alert troops had established contact with the terrorists and an exchange of fire was underway. While there were no immediate reports of any casualties, reinforcements were rushed to the area to strengthen the cordon and prevent the terrorists from escaping.

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The operation was launched by the Rashtriya Rifles after receiving specific inputs about the presence of a few terrorists in the dense Keshwan forests, which span the Doda and Kishtwar districts. Following the initial contact, the terrorists reportedly managed to slip deeper into the rugged forest terrain.

This latest encounter comes just two days after a separate anti-terror operation on the Doda-Udhampur border resulted in the death of a soldier, Lance Naik Dafadar Baldev Chand. Chand was critically wounded during a gunfight on Friday and succumbed to his injuries on Saturday.

Security officials have noted a troubling shift in militant activity to the Pir Panjal (Rajouri-Poonch) and Chenab Valley (Doda-Kishtwar) belts in the Jammu region since 2021. The thick forests and challenging terrain provide ideal hideouts and movement corridors for militants. Authorities believe that many recent attacks have been carried out by small groups of foreign terrorists who are aided by local support networks.

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In response, the Army and police have intensified their counter-terrorism operations. The ongoing gunfight in Kishtwar underscores the persistent militant presence in the area despite repeated crackdowns. As of the time of this report, the operation in Kishtwar is still in progress.