Around a week after multiple Pakistani drones were spotted along the international border and the LOC, the security grid in Jammu and Kashmir was put to yet another severe test on Sunday (January 18, 2026) as the Indian Army launched its first major counter-terror operation of 2026.
The security forces engaged heavily armed terrorists in the dense forests of Kishtwar district, just days before the country prepares to mark Republic Day celebrations next week on January 26, 2026. “Contact was established with terrorists in the general area Son Nar, northeast of Chhatru,” Indian Army’s White Knight Corps said.
The operation, codenamed Operation Trashi-I, underscores heightened alertness across the region amid fresh intelligence inputs pointing to renewed infiltration attempts backed by Pakistan-based terror handlers.
Kishtwar encounter: Gunfight erupts in upper reaches
The encounter broke out in the Sonnar area, northeast of Chatroo, when Army troops conducting a deliberate search operation came in contact with a group of two to three terrorists hiding in the rugged, forested terrain. According to an India Today report, the militants opened indiscriminate fire and lobbed grenades.
Troops responded swiftly, triggering an intense exchange of fire that continued intermittently for several hours. “Troops displayed exceptional professionalism and resolve while responding to hostile fire under challenging terrain and conditions,” the White Knight Corps said.
Operation Trashi-I: Eight soldiers injured
An army soldier was killed while 7 others are learnt to have been injured in the encounter. Havildar Gajendra Singh of the Special Forces, was martyred while executing the counter terrorism operation in the Singpura area during the ongoing Operation TRASHI-I.
“The #GOC, White Knight Corps and all ranks pay solemn tribute to Havildar Gajendra Singh of the Special Forces, who made the supreme sacrifice while gallantly executing a Counter Terrorism operation in the Singpura area during the ongoing Operation TRASHI-I on the intervening night of 18-19 Jan 2026,” the White Knight Corps informed.
Preliminary intelligence suggests the terrorists are affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group. Acting on specific inputs, security forces launched the operation around noon on Sunday.
Units from the White Knight Corps, along with reinforcements from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jammu and Kashmir Police, were rushed to the area to tighten the noose around the militants.
Drones, sniffer dogs intensify the hunt
Authorities have deployed advanced surveillance tools, including drones and sniffer dogs, to accelerate the search and enhance situational awareness in the difficult terrain.
In a statement on X, the White Knight Corps said contact with terrorists was established during a joint counter-terror exercise conducted with the Jammu and Kashmir Police, adding that operations remain ongoing with close coordination among security agencies and civil administration.
Heightened aecurity ahead of Republic Day 2026 celebrations
The timing of the operation is significant, coming just days before Republic Day 2026, when security forces traditionally step up counter-terror measures to thwart any attempt at disruption. Officials said intelligence inputs indicate renewed efforts by Pakistan-based handlers to push terrorists across the Line of Control, prompting intensified operations across Jammu region.
Meanwhile, the latest Kishtwar gunfight marks the third terror encounter in the Jammu region this year, following clashes in the Kahog and Najote forests of Kathua district on January 7 and January 13, 2026.