Following a brief firefight in the Yusmarg forests of central Kashmir, an unidentified militant was killed during a coordinated operation involving the Army and local police forces. Security personnel suspect that 1-2 additional militants may still be present in the area, leading to an expanded combing operation through the thick woods.

The Army’s Chinar Corps, based in Srinagar, reported that a search operation was initiated in the Ashdar Gali region of Budgam based on credible intelligence. Troops on alert detected suspicious movements and, upon confronting the suspects, came under fire. This resulted in a violent exchange during which one militant was neutralized, and an AK rifle along with other military supplies was recovered.

This incident follows a clash that occurred on Thursday between militants and security forces in the Ashdar Gali area, situated above the well-known Yusmarg tourist destination and linking the Budgam district to Poonch in the Jammu region. The region is characterized by its dense forests, marking the boundary between Budgam and Poonch.

After the initial shooting, the collaborative team tightened their perimeter and initiated a thorough search. During these intensified operations, they again engaged with the militants, who attempted to break through the security cordon while opening fire.

Officials indicated that the joint forces returned fire, and intelligence reports suggest that 1-2 more militants may be hiding in the woods, leading to heightened search efforts.

This marks the second confrontation between security forces and militants in the Kashmir Valley this year. Previously, on July 8, Zakir Ahmad Ganai, a member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group, was killed in a gunfight in Shopian district of southern Kashmir. Police records indicated that Ganai was among the last two active militants in the Valley.