By Ayomide Otitoju
Three suspected militants were killed in a gunfight with Indian security forces on Tuesday in the southern region of Indian-administered Kashmir, marking the first such encounter since last month’s deadly attack on Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, which escalated tensions between India and Pakistan to their highest levels in decades.
According to an official statement from the Indian Army, the firefight erupted after a counter-insurgency unit received intelligence on militant movement in the Keller forest area of the Kashmir Valley, approximately 65 kilometers from the site of the earlier attack that left 26 people dead.
“During the operation, terrorists opened heavy fire and a fierce exchange ensued, resulting in the elimination of three hardcore terrorists,” the statement read.
The Indian government has blamed the Pahalgam massacre on Pakistan-backed militants, a claim Islamabad has strongly denied. In response, India launched targeted missile strikes last week against alleged militant hideouts within Pakistani territory.
The strikes triggered four days of cross-border military action, involving air raids, drone attacks, and artillery shelling, until a ceasefire agreement was brokered by the United States over the weekend. U.S. President Donald Trump said the intervention prevented what could have been a catastrophic nuclear conflict.
“We stopped a nuclear conflict… millions of people could have been killed,” Trump said in Washington on Monday, expressing pride over the U.S. role in de-escalating the crisis.
On Tuesday, Pakistan updated its casualty figures from the skirmishes, reporting that 40 civilians—including seven women and 15 children—alongside 11 military personnel were killed. The country’s military described India’s actions as “unprovoked and reprehensible,” noting 78 service members were also injured.
Previously, Islamabad had reported 33 civilian deaths without acknowledging any military casualties. India has yet to provide its own figures.
Despite mutual accusations of ceasefire violations, calm appeared to return to the border region on Tuesday.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation in a televised speech, warned of severe repercussions if another attack is carried out against India.
“Pakistan has chosen confrontation over cooperation in fighting terrorism,” Modi declared. “If another attack is attempted, India will respond with force.”
In a post on social media platform X, Modi praised India’s armed forces for their bravery during the latest crisis. “India is eternally grateful to our armed forces for everything they do for our nation,” he wrote after visiting frontline troops.
The current escalation is the most severe since the 1999 Kargil conflict, fueling international concerns of a broader war between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Since India revoked Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status in 2019 and placed it under direct rule from New Delhi, militancy in the region has intensified. The Muslim-majority territory remains at the heart of a decades-long dispute between India and Pakistan, both of whom claim it in full but govern separate parts.
