In 2024, Jammu and Kashmir experienced significant militancy-related violence. A total of 29 army personnel, including five officers, lost their lives in encounters, ambushes, and attacks. Joint security forces eliminated 69 militants, which included 24 locals, 27 foreign operatives, and 18 infiltrators. Additionally, 55 security personnel sustained injuries during various operations.
The year began with tragic incidents in Baramulla, where a soldier died during an operation. In Rajouri’s Nowshera sector, Agniveer Ajay Singh lost his life in an IED blast, while another soldier was killed during an encounter at Sanai Top in Poonch.
Significant casualties included five soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), who were ambushed in Kathua’s Badnota area. Four soldiers, including an officer, lost their lives during a gunfight in Doda’s Deesa forest area. Additional fatalities occurred in Kupwara, Kokarnag, and Baramulla, with Captain Deepak Kumar among those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Security forces neutralized 69 militants, including prominent local commanders like Basit Dar, Umar Khan, and Riyaz Ahmad Dar from Pulwama, affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Among the 27 foreign militants killed, many were neutralized in Kupwara’s challenging terrains and along the Line of Control (LoC). Eighteen infiltrators were intercepted and killed in areas such as Uri, Keran, and Nowshera, showcasing the army’s strong vigilance along the LoC.
The violence resulted in injuries to 55 security personnel, including soldiers, police officers, and Special Police Officers (SPOs). Two soldiers were hurt in an IED blast in Rajouri’s Nowshera sector, while other attacks on posts in Gundhah village and the Territorial Army headquarters in Manjakote added to the toll.
Several encounters, including those in Doda, Poonch, Kishtwar, and Bandipora, caused injuries to security forces. Operations in the Ketsun forest area and Ahlan Gagarmandu forest also left officers and soldiers injured. The militancy-related incidents of 2024 underscore persistent security challenges in Jammu and Kashmir. Despite notable successes in counter-militancy efforts, the high number of casualties and injuries among security personnel highlights the continued struggle to ensure peace and stability in the region.
