Encounter in Akhal Forest, Jammu and Kashmir: Two soldiers perish, one militant eliminated
Operation Akhal, an extensive anti-terrorism operation in Kulgam district, Kashmir, began on August 1, 2025. The joint effort involves the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir police, CRPF, and Special Operations Group (SOG), targeting terrorists hiding in dense forests.
Key updates from the operation include:
- Early in the operation, around August 2-3, two terrorists were neutralised, and at least one soldier was injured [1].
- The operation became one of the longest in recent south Kashmir history due to tough terrain and intense combat conditions [1][2].
- On August 9, two Indian Army soldiers, Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh, lost their lives during a fierce firefight in the wooded areas of Akhal [2][3].
- Despite heavy search operations involving hundreds of troops, no terrorists were found after August 11, leading security forces to consider the possibility that the terrorists may have escaped the cordon [3].
- The operation entered a completion or mopping-up stage by August 13, with no fresh firing reported, though details were limited by officials [2].
The operation continues in the Akhal area, with no additional deaths or neutralisations reported as of now. The Indian Army's White Knight Corps neutralised two terror operatives in an earlier operation in the Poonch sector on July 30.
A separate incident occurred in Udhampur, J&K, where a CRPF vehicle carrying 23 personnel fell into a gorge, resulting in three deaths and several injuries.
Chinar Corps honoured the supreme sacrifice of L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh, expressing deepest condolences and standing in solidarity with their bereaved families.
In a separate operation, Baramulla Police busted a terrorist hideout in the Gogaldara-Danwas forest, seizing a grenade, a pistol, a magazine, nine rounds of ammunition, and medical supplies. An FIR has been registered at PS Tangmarg in connection with the Baramulla Police operation, and no further details are available yet.
References: [1] Times of India, "Two terrorists killed in Kulgam operation", August 3, 2025. [2] Hindustan Times, "Two soldiers killed in Kulgam operation", August 10, 2025. [3] The Indian Express, "Operation Akhal: Terrorists may have escaped cordon", August 12, 2025.
- The ongoing Operation Akhal in Kashmir's Akhal area, despite no recent neutralisations or deaths, remains a significant focus in the realm of defence and security (defi).
- The Indian financial market might experience uncertainties due to war-and-conflicts and general-news updates from the Kulgam operation in Kashmir.
- The Baramulla Police operation in the Gogaldara-Danwas forest, resulting in the seizure of weapons, has sparked new stories in crime-and-justice sections of various news media outlets.
