Over 30 Pakistan-backed terrorists active in Jammu as Army intensifies winter hunt

Jammu and Kashmir continues to face a sustained terror challenge this winter, with intelligence agencies assessing that more than 30 Pakistan-backed terrorists are currently active in the Jammu region.

Even as Chillai Kalan — the 40-day harshest phase of winter — sets in, the Indian Army and allied forces have escalated counter-terror operations to prevent militants from exploiting the freeze to regroup or slip through security grids.

Defense and intelligence sources said mounting pressure from continuous operations has forced terrorist groups to shift into higher and middle mountain ranges of Kishtwar and Doda, areas marked by sparse civilian presence. The movement is being viewed as a tactical retreat aimed at evading detection during a season traditionally seen as a lull in militant activity.

Rejecting any notion of a winter slowdown, the Army has expanded its operational footprint across snowbound and high-altitude zones since Chillai Kalan began on December 21. Forward winter bases and temporary surveillance posts have been activated to ensure uninterrupted pressure on terrorist hideouts, even as temperatures plunge well below freezing.

Regular patrols are sweeping ridgelines, dense forests and remote valleys, with the objective of denying terrorists safe havens, disrupting supply lines and blocking any movement towards populated areas. Officials said the strategy is designed to push militants into inhospitable terrain, steadily degrading their operational capability.

The operations are being executed in close coordination with the Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF, Special Operations Group, Forest Guards and Village Defense Guards. Intelligence inputs are being jointly analysed to track militant movement and plan swift, targeted actions.

Security agencies assess that shrinking local support networks and heightened vigilance in lower reaches have further isolated terrorist groups. There are indications of attempts by militants to coerce villagers for food and shelter, though officials say such efforts have met with limited success.

Specialized winter warfare units have been deployed across sensitive sectors, backed by drones, thermal imagers and ground sensors to monitor movement in snow-covered terrain. Surveillance and search operations are being conducted in a continuous cycle to ensure that cleared areas remain under watch.

Officials said the focus this winter is on wiping out remaining terror pockets and preventing any regrouping, underlining a clear message: adverse weather will no longer shield Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.