In a significant breakthrough in anti-terror operations, two “hybrid” terrorists associated with the Pakistan-based outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba surrendered before security forces in the Baskuchan area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district. Identified as Irfan Bashir and Uzair Salam, the duo gave up during a joint security operation carried out on the basis of specific intelligence inputs. The operation was a coordinated effort involving the Special Operations Group (SOG) Shopian, 44 Rashtriya Rifles, and 178 Battalion of the CRPF. During the operation, security personnel recovered a cache of arms including two AK-56 rifles, four magazines, 102 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition, two hand grenades, and tactical pouches.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have registered a case and initiated a detailed investigation into the surrendered terrorists’ background and possible involvement in prior incidents. Authorities are probing their network and affiliations within the broader terror ecosystem in the region. The police have emphasized that these hybrid terrorists—individuals who operate as civilians while secretly supporting or engaging in terrorism—pose a unique challenge, as they often remain undetected by security agencies until they carry out an attack or are captured in ongoing operations.

This surrender comes amid a heightened counter-terror push across the Kashmir Valley, especially after recent attacks including the Pahalgam incident which claimed 26 lives. Earlier this month, IGP Kashmir Zone VK Birdi had confirmed the neutralization of six terrorists in separate operations in Shopian and Tral. He stated that security forces have recalibrated their strategies to uproot the entire terror infrastructure. The latest surrender, officials believe, is a testament to the increased pressure on militant networks and the growing efficacy of India’s counter-insurgency grid in Kashmir.