Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district are currently engaged in a high-intensity gunfight with three terrorists belonging to The Resistance Front (TRF), an organisation widely recognized as a proxy outfit for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The encounter began in the Akhal Devsar area, situated on the outskirts of Kulgam, and has involved a coordinated operation by the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The clash started when joint security teams launched a search operation in the Akhal forest region following credible intelligence inputs regarding the presence of armed militants. As the forces moved in, the terrorists opened fire, prompting a fierce exchange that continues as of the early hours of August 2, 2025. It is believed that two to three terrorists remain at large in the area while actively engaging security personnel.

This operation follows major counterterror efforts in the region, particularly the recently concluded Operation Mahadev. According to official reports, the original input indicated the presence of five TRF terrorists in the vicinity.

Three of these militants, including Suleiman Shah—also known by the alias Musa Fauji and identified as the mastermind of the catastrophic Pahalgam attack—were neutralized during Operation Mahadev earlier in the week. Notably, a cache of weapons recovered from the terrorist hideout included an M4 carbine, two AK-47 rifles, and as many as 17 grenades, all of which underwent forensic examinations validating their use in the Pahalgam assault.

The Resistance Front was primarily responsible for the anti-tourist strike in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, considered the deadliest such incident in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

In this brutal act, 26 civilians—mostly tourists—were killed, with the group initially claiming and later retracting responsibility. Authorities confirmed the TRF’s involvement via forensic ballistics, statements from detained accomplices, and matching weapons seized from the militants killed during Operation Mahadev.

The ongoing confrontation in Kulgam is seen as part of persistent and intensive security operations following the Pahalgam massacre. The killing of the attack’s main conspirators significantly dented the operational capacity of TRF in the region, but residual militants remain active.

Security forces continue their sweeps in the forested and adjoining areas to eliminate any remaining threats. The joint nature of the operation, involving multiple elite units, underscores the seriousness with which Indian authorities are treating the renewed militancy in South Kashmir.

The battle in Kulgam is the latest episode in a renewed wave of anti-terror measures across Jammu and Kashmir, directly linked to TRF’s escalated attacks this year.

The coordinated efforts by Army, CRPF, and police not only signal the resolve to neutralize militants but also reflect significant advances in intelligence-sharing, inter-agency cooperation, and tactical response following recent terrorist incidents in the Valley.

Based On India Today Report