Army corners two local LeT terrorists in J&K’s Shopian; counter-terror op underway

Srinagar, The Army on Saturday launched a major counter-terrorist operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district after two local terrorists belonging to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba were cornered in a dense orchard, officials said.

Acting on a specific intelligence input on the presence of terrorists in the area, a joint team comprising various columns of Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) laid a tight cordon around the Meemandar area.

The two trapped terrorists, identified through technical intelligence as Latif and Zakir, opened fire on the approaching security personnel, which the Army jawans effectively retaliated, triggering a gunfight.

Officials said the Army’s specialised counter-insurgency unit, the Victor Force, has deployed additional personnel to plug all possible escape routes through the thick foliage of the orchard besides lighting up the area.

During the summer months, the heavy foliage offers a natural cover, making surveillance difficult and allowing the trapped terrorists to exploit the blind spots to break cordons.

According to security records, the trapped terrorists are residents of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. While Zakir is believed to have been associated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) since 2024, Latif joined the LeT ranks last year.

Shopian has historically served as a critical transit corridor connecting south Kashmir to central Kashmir and the Pir Panjal range.Officials said that while foreign terrorists have increasingly been used for attacks, containing local operatives like Latif and Zakir remains vital to disrupting the logistics networks and breaking the cycle of local recruitment.

The operation was ongoing and the forces were repeatedly asking the two to surrender, the officials said.