JeM Commander Saifullah Among Three Terrorists Killed in Kishtwar Encounter: Firing Continues at Site
Kishtwar, April 12, 2025 — In a major breakthrough for security forces, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) commander Saifullah, also known by the alias Swaruddin, was eliminated along with two other terrorists during an ongoing encounter in the Chattru area of Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir.
According to security sources, the operation is still underway, with intermittent firing reported from the encounter site in Naidgam, Chattru. The operation was part of a long-running search effort that began on April 9 following intelligence about terrorist movement in the region.
Jammu and Kashmir Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma lauded the efforts of the security forces. “Yesterday’s contact was a significant success. This is a major breakthrough because over the past year, there have been repeated terror incidents in the hills of Kishtwar, leading to casualties among our security personnel. This marks the first major success where three terrorists have been neutralised, including a high-value target,” he said.
He added, “The way our forces executed this operation will set a strong precedent and be highly effective moving forward in curbing terrorism in the region.”
The elimination of Saifullah, a key figure in JeM’s local operations, is being seen as a critical blow to terrorist networks attempting to establish footholds in remote hilly areas of the Union Territory. The identity of the other two slain terrorists is yet to be confirmed.
Security forces continue to maintain a high state of alert, with cordon-and-search operations ongoing in the vicinity to ensure no further threats remain.
