JAMMU, Oct 29: In a fierce gunbattle in the Akhnoor area of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, the Indian Army killed three terrorists. The operation, referred to as Operation Asan, also led to the seizure of “war-like stores,” according to a statement from the Army’s White Knight Corps.
The search operation commenced on Monday after an attack on an Army convoy near Asan in the Sunderbani sector. Jammu and Kashmir police reported that the terrorists were located near Asan Mandir in Battal, where they fired upon an Army ambulance. In response, security forces and J&K police launched a joint operation, successfully cordoning off the area.
No security personnel were injured in the operation, but an Army dog named Phantom, a four-year-old Belgian Malinois, lost his life during the encounter. Phantom was hit by a bullet during the operation, which took place in the Akhnoor sector on October 28, 2024. The White Knight Corps honored Phantom’s sacrifice in a post on X, stating, “We salute the supreme sacrifice of our true hero—a valiant Indian Army Dog, Phantom.”
“As our troops closed in on the trapped terrorists, Phantom drew enemy fire, sustaining fatal injuries. His courage, loyalty, and dedication will never be forgotten,” the statement added.
Phantom, born on May 25, 2020, served as an assault dog after being assigned to a unit on August 12, 2022, following his graduation from the Remount Veterinary Corps in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. The Army reaffirmed that “the courage, loyalty, and dedication of the canine—Phantom—will never be forgotten.”
