Jammu: Security forces on Friday initiated a large-scale Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in the upper reaches of Kathua district after receiving intelligence reports indicating the presence of terrorists in the Billawar area.
According to officials, a coordinated operation was carried out by the Army’s special forces, along with Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The CASO was launched in Billawar, where security forces have cordoned off the area and are conducting extensive searches to locate the suspected militants.
Locals in the area have been urged to remain indoors and cooperate with authorities during the operation. Additional security reinforcements have been deployed to assist in tracking down the terrorists.
The Jammu region has experienced a wave of unrest in 2024, with terrorist incidents reported across all 10 districts, including Udhampur, Kathua, Doda, Kishtwar, Samba, Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch, and Ramban.
In July 2024, five soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), were killed, and five others were injured when terrorists ambushed two army vehicles in Billawar’s Badnota village. In a follow-up operation, security forces killed two terrorists in Kog-Mandli village in September 2024, though the encounter also led to the death of a police head constable and injuries to an assistant sub-inspector.
Authorities continue to urge the public’s cooperation as the operation unfolds.
