Security forces encounter terrorists in Kashmir’s Shopian, tensions simmer despite ceasefire
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An armed encounter erupted today in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, as Indian security forces engaged four terrorists in a forested region.
According to officials, the confrontation began in Kulgam and moved to the forest belts of Shopian following precise intelligence inputs. Joint teams of the Indian Army and paramilitary forces have been locked in the gunfight for over two hours.
The timing of the encounter is critical, as it follows closely on the heels of Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory airstrikes in response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. Those strikes, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), were seen as a strong signal of India’s hardened stance against cross-border terrorism.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a national address, underscored the strategic shift by declaring that any future terror strike on Indian soil will be treated as an act of war and answered with force. "Operation Sindoor has established a new standard in India's counter-terrorism efforts," he stated. "India will retaliate on its own terms, with precise and unwavering action."
He outlined three key principles shaping India’s new approach: swift and direct retaliation to terror attacks, no tolerance for nuclear threats or blackmail, and no distinction between terrorist masterminds and the states that support them.
Referring to Pakistan’s alleged role, the Prime Minister pointed to reports of senior Pakistani military officials attending funerals of slain terrorists, calling it "clear proof of state-sponsored terrorism."
Earlier this month, on May 7, India conducted targeted airstrikes against terrorist bases in Pakistan and PoK. Pakistan retaliated with heavy shelling and drone strikes aimed at civilian areas. India’s air defence intercepted most of the incoming threats, and in response, India launched precision attacks on Pakistani military facilities, inflicting significant damage.
Though a ceasefire was announced on May 10, Indian forces remain on high alert. The Army has reiterated that any further provocation or "misadventure" by Pakistan will be met with a decisive response.