3 militants killed in Jammu’s Akhnoor, say officials

Early on October 28, three militants attacked an Army ambulance in Jammu’s Battal area, Akhnoor. The militants, dressed in military-style clothing, opened fire on the vehicle, triggering a response from Army personnel that led to a six-hour encounter. After cordoning off the area, security forces neutralized all three militants.

Although their identities remain unknown, police and security officials suspect they may belong to Jaish-e-Mohammed and possibly crossed into Battal from Pakistan via the Manawar Tawi river. Their bodies have been recovered, but search operations are ongoing, with the area sealed off.

This incident follows a string of recent militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Last week, two soldiers, two civilian porters, and three soldiers were killed in Gulmarg, near the Line of Control. In Ganderbal district, an attack on a worksite killed seven employees of APCO Infratech, including a doctor.

These incidents coincide with a leadership change in the union territory, where Omar Abdullah’s National Conference has recently taken power. Abdullah condemned the attacks and cautioned Pakistan against escalating tensions.