Indus Valley Times

JAMMU/KASHMIR , AUG 10 : Two soldiers were killed after an encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag on Saturday, sources told India Today TV.

Three other soldiers were also injured in a gunfight in the Kokernag forest area, they added.

Earlier, acting on an intelligence tip-off about terrorists’ presence in the area, the security forces carried out search and combing operations in the forest area of South Kashmir. A joint operation by security forces and police was going on in the area since early morning on Saturday, they added.

“Based on specific intelligence input, a joint operation was launched by the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF today in general area Kokernag, Anantnag. Contact was established and a firefight ensued. Two personnel have been injured and evacuated from the area. Operation is in progress”, and Army statement said.

The encounter ensued after the terrorists fired upon the search party, prompting security personnel to retaliate. The terrorists reportedly entered Anantnag through Doda in Jammu region.

Joint security forces are currently locked in a gunfight with a group of heavily armed terrorists hiding in the forest.

“Exchange of fire is going on and further details are awaited as it is a communication deficient forest area”, the officials added.

The Anantnag terrorist encounter is the latest in a series of such attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in recent months.

About two weeks ago, one soldier died while four others, including a Major rank officer, were injured as the Army foiled an attack by Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district.

Days before that, four Army personnel, including an officer, and a cop were killed during an encounter with heavily armed terrorists in Doda district. The attack was claimed by ‘Kashmir Tigers’, a shadow group of Pakistan-backed terrorist group JeM.

 -PTI