India launched an anti-terror operation on 1 August 2025, named ‘Operation Akhal’. The operation began in the thickly forested Akhal region after receiving intelligence about terrorist hideouts. It’s been 13 days since the operation is ongoing. In regards to this a claim is going viral on the internet. An account on X, ‘Intel_Observer’ posted the viral claim on 13 August 2025. They said “Kulgam’s 10-day battle — 9 Indian soldiers downed, drones & helicopters rendered useless — shows the spirit of armed resistance in Jammu and Kashmir is alive despite decades of occupation.”
Another user by the name ‘faizannriaz’ shared “The Kulgam operation shows armed resistance in Jammu and Kashmir is far from over. In a 10-day battle, 9 Indian soldiers were killed, helicopters and drones failed, and yet New Delhi hides behind draconian laws, fake encounters, and mass human rights abuses.”
Fact Check
The DFRAC team conducted a research on the viral claim and found it to be misleading. When we searched for the viral claim on the internet we gathered some information. An article published by ‘Kasmir Life’ on 11 August 2025. It informs, “So far, at least one militant has been killed, while two soldiers have lost their lives in the line of duty. More than a dozen security personnel have sustained injuries during the intense gunfights.”
We came across another article published by ‘The Economics Times’. Under the title “Two soldiers killed in Kulgam gunfight; one terrorist neutralised as security forces step up anti-terror operations in J&K” on 9 August 2025. Furthermore it says, During the ninth day of a joint security operation in Kulgam’s Akhal Devsar area, the forces killed two Indian Army personnel. The Chinar Corps honoured Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh for their sacrifice. The forces have neutralised one terrorist so far.
At the end, we also looked on the official X handle of Chinar Cops. We found a post from 9 August 2025. They posted “Chinar Corps honours the supreme sacrifice of the Bravehearts, L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sep Harminder Singh, in line of duty for the Nation. Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. IndianArmy expresses deepest condolences and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families. Operation continues.”
Conclusion
The viral claim that nine Indian soldiers were killed and drones and helicopters rendered useless during the 10-day Operation Akhal in Kulgam is misleading. Verified information from official Chinar Corps statements. It confirms that only two soldiers, Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh, lost their lives, and at least one militant was killed.
