Who was Saifullah? JeM Commander killed in Kishtwar after three-year manhunt

Dodging security forces for the last three years, the dreaded self-styled commander of the proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Saifullah, was finally eliminated in an ongoing fierce encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district.

Saifullah, along with two other Pakistani terrorists, was killed in an encounter in Naidgam in the Chatroo area of the mountainous Kishtwar district. The encounter, which began on Wednesday, is still ongoing, as more terrorists are believed to be trapped in the gunfight.

Although security forces have not yet officially confirmed the identities of the three slain terrorists, sources revealed that one of them was Saifullah, a self-styled commander of JeM.

Who was Saifullah?

The elimination of JeM terrorist Saifullah is being hailed as a major achievement for the security forces in their ongoing fight against terrorism in the Jammu province.

Saifullah was one of the most wanted terrorists operating in the mountainous areas of the Kishtwar, Doda, Udhampur, and Kathua districts. He was responsible for a string of deadly attacks on security personnel and civilians over the past year. He was also  in the Kishtwar district, located in South Kashmir.

For the security forces, the encounter in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar is not a routine operation, as the killing of Saifullah marks a significant breakthrough in the anti-terror campaign.

A resident of Pakistan, Saifullah had infiltrated into Indian territory with a nefarious design to strengthen the JeM network in the Chenab region—comprising the Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban districts—and to revive terrorism in the hilly regions of Udhampur and Kathua.

According to security agencies, Saifullah played a crucial role in infiltration operations, coordinated the movement of terrorists, facilitated their transportation to safe hideouts, and planned attacks. He was also actively engaged in building a network of

Over the past few months, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and other security forces had been closely monitoring terrorist activities, with a particular focus on tracking Saifullah.

During the last fortnight, over a dozen encounters have taken place in the Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, and Kishtwar districts. In one such encounter on March 27 in Kathua, two terrorists were neutralized while four policemen lost their lives.

It is believed that Saifullah was the mastermind behind several terror attacks on security forces over the past year and a half in Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, and Kathua districts. These attacks claimed the lives of J&K Police personnel, Army soldiers, central armed forces personnel, and civilians.

"Saifullah was one of the most wanted terrorists, involved in planning high-profile attacks and linked to infiltrations across the border," said sources.

Dreaded Terror Attacks Planned by Saifullah

• July 8, 2024: Five Army troopers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), were killed and several others injured in a grenade and gunfire attack on an Army truck on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar Road near Badnota village in Lohai Malhar.
• July 16, 2024: Four Indian Army soldiers, including a Captain, were martyred in a terror attack in the Desa area of Doda district.
• August 10, 2024: Two Army personnel were killed and a civilian injured in an encounter between security forces and terrorists in the Ahlan area of Kokernag, Anantnag district.
• September 13, 2024: Two Indian Army soldiers were martyred during an encounter in Naidgam, Kishtwar.
• November 7, 2024: Two Village Defence Guards (VDGs), Nazir Ahmed and Kuldeep Kumar, were abducted and subsequently killed by Kashmir Tigers, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based JeM, in the Munzla Dhar forest of Adhwari in Kishtwar.
• November 10, 2024: Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar, a Special Forces officer, was martyred, and three soldiers were injured in a fierce gunfight in the Keshwan area of Kishtwar.
• March 27, 2025: Four J&K Police personnel from the Special Operations Group (SOG)—Tariq Ahmad, Jaswant Singh, Jagbir Singh, and Balwinder Singh—were killed in a terror attack in the Safiyan village of the Kathua district.

Posters of Saifullah Released by Kishtwar Police

In January this year, Kishtwar Police released pictures of four dreaded terrorists active in the region. One of them was Saifullah.

The police also announced a reward of ₹5 lakh for anyone providing credible information on these terrorists.

The poster featured images of Saifullah, Farman, Adil, and another terrorist believed to be Basha. The notices were published in both Urdu and English.

"The general public is requested to share any information regarding the individuals shown in the photographs, identified as four terrorists. A reward of ₹5 lakh for each terrorist will be given to anyone providing credible information about them," read the poster issued by the police.