Terrorist hideout unearthed in J&K's Poonch, ammunition recovered

Security forces unearthed a terrorist hideout in a remote village in Poonch district on Wednesday (August 5, 2026), leading to the recovery of a significant cache of ammunition, officials said. The hideout, set up inside a cave, was discovered during a joint search operation by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Rashtriya Rifles at Bhoriwala Dhok in Surankote tehsil in the morning hours.

Officials said the recovered items included two magazines of an AK assault rifle, 117 rounds of ammunition, and 17 rounds of 9-mm pistol ammunition. The recovery underscores the continued presence of terrorist elements in the region and the need for sustained security operations.

The operation on Wednesday followed a massive search launched a day earlier in over a dozen forested villages in Surankote. Intelligence inputs had suggested the movement of two separate groups of suspected terrorists in the Dhara Sangla and Gujjar Naar areas. As of the last reports, no contact had been established with the suspects, and the search operation was continuing.

In a separate development, security forces conducted search operations in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu district after a villager reported suspicious movement. A thorough search was carried out in the Sunail Panchayat area, but no suspicious persons or material were found, officials said.

Similarly, a joint search operation by the police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was conducted from Parshuram temple to Jandi Nallah in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district early Wednesday. The exercise was part of area domination efforts to maintain strict vigil in the region.

Poonch district, located in the Jammu division and close to the Line of Control, has witnessed periodic infiltration attempts and terrorist activities. The security forces have been carrying out regular operations to neutralise such threats and ensure the safety of local communities. Officials have urged residents to report any suspicious activity to authorities.

The ongoing operations reflect the coordinated efforts of the army, police, and paramilitary forces to disrupt terrorist networks and prevent attacks. Further details are awaited as the searches continue.