Srinagar, April 12, 2025 – A fierce encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Sopore ended Friday with three Pakistani terrorists, including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) commander Saifullah, gunned down by security forces, delivering a blow to cross-border terror just days after Tahawwur Rana’s extradition. The 14-hour firefight at Nowpora-Kalan village, sparked by a 5 AM cordon, left two soldiers and a civilian injured but no civilian deaths, per Hindustan Times.
Saifullah, a 26/11 Mumbai attack planner linked to LeT’s Hafiz Saeed, led JeM’s north Kashmir ops since 2023, plotting strikes on Army camps (The Indian Express). “He was their linchpin—sneaky, ruthless,” a J&K Police officer told The Hindu. Acting on a tip, 22 Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF, and Sopore police cornered the trio in a mud house—RPGs, grenades, and AK-47s flew. By 7 PM, all three were down, with arms and fake IDs seized (Times of India).
The op’s timing—post-Rana’s NIA grilling—stings Pakistan, whose denials echo hollow (NDTV). Sopore’s 2024 saw 12 encounters, 20 terrorists killed (J&K Police). Posts on X cheer, “Got him—justice rolls!”—but locals whisper fear: “More will come.” Baramulla’s orchards hide terror trails—80% of J&K’s 132 active terrorists are foreign (MHA, 2024).
This isn’t a win—it’s a warning. With borders tense, will Saifullah’s end cut JeM’s roots, or just sprout new thorns?
