Three more terrorists killed as Operation Akhal rages into day 3 in J&K’s Kulgam

Three more terrorists were killed and one soldier injured on August 3 as Operation Akhal – a massive, multi-agency counter-terrorism offensive in south Kashmir – stretched into its third day, security forces confirmed. The total number of terrorists killed in the ongoing gunbattle now stands at six.

The encounter, underway in the dense Akhal forest belt of Kulgam, began August 1 evening after the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army, and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search operation based on specific intelligence inputs about terrorist movement in the area.

The situation remains tense, with sporadic gunfire and explosions echoing through the forested terrain overnight. High-tech surveillance equipment, drones, and elite paramilitary forces have been deployed to flush out remaining militants. A senior army official said the operation is “far from over.”

Sources revealed that the three terrorists neutralized on August 2 were affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The same group had earlier claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre that left 26 civilians dead.

Coordinated crackdown intensifies

Operation Akhal comes in the wake of a series of anti-terror offensives launched across Jammu and Kashmir in the past few weeks. Just days earlier, Lashkar terrorists linked to the Pahalgam attack were eliminated near Srinagar in Operation Mahadev. This was followed by Operation Shiv Shakti on July 29, which saw two more militants neutralized by Army units.

Security officials say the broader crackdown has so far led to the elimination of nearly 20 high-value militants in Kashmir since April. Separately, over 100 terrorists were killed in cross-border strikes during Operation Sindoor conducted between May 6-7 in Pakistan.

With top security officials including the J&K DGP and the 15 Corps Commander personally overseeing Operation Akhal, authorities say the push signals a strategic shift in India's counter-insurgency playbook: proactive, targeted, and relentless.