2023 Anantnag encounter

On 13 September 2023, a confrontation erupted between Indian security forces and Kashmiri separatist militants in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The week-long encounter in the Gadol forests in the Anantnag district ended on 19 September, in which The Resistance Front commander, Uzair Khan was killed along with at least two senior Indian Army officers and a J&K Police officer. After losing 4 security forces personnel on the first day, Indian security forces were finally able to clear the militant hideout on the 7th day of the operation, as the dense jungles and rough terrain of the area provided cover to the militants.

This Anantnag encounter began when a joint operation was undertaken by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the early hours of Sep 13, 2023, following inputs about a militant hideout, but the militants appeared to have anticipated the action and opened fire on the security forces. An Indian colonel, major, and the deputy superintendent of police were killed.

The militant group, The Resistance Front has claimed responsibility for the encounter. The Resistance Front emerged in 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. This group is notorious for its participation in various acts of terrorism within the region and has presented a significant challenge to security forces operating in the area. The banned Resistance Front is believed to be a shadow group of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The operation involved the deployment of drone surveillance and the initiation of search operations aimed at capturing the militants involved. A missing soldier and another militant were also found dead on the last day of the operation.

Background
The encounter commenced when security forces initiated a counter-terrorism operation in the Gadole area of Kokernag Tehsil within the Anantnag district, targeting the location where militants were believed to be hiding. The operation was initiated on the evening of 12 September 2023 but was temporarily halted during the night. It was then resumed on 13 September following the receipt of information indicating that they had been spotted at a hideout. The Indian military has reported that they have cordoned off an area where two TRF militants are believed to be located. One of them has been identified as TRF commander Uzair Khan.

Casualties
The casualties resulting from the encounter included Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, a native of Mohali, Punjab, Major Aashish Dhonack from Panipat, Haryana, and a Deputy Superintendent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Humayun Bhat, of Budgam, Kashmir.