At least five terrorists have been reportedly killed after an encounter broke out in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Thursday, officials said. Security forces had launched a cordon-and-search operation at Kadder in the Behibagh area of the district on Wednesday night following information about the presence of suspected terrorists there, the officials said.
They said the search operation turned into an encounter as the terrorists opened fire on the security forces, who retaliated.
The neutralised terrorists were identified as Yasir Javaid, Adil Hajam, Mushtaq Itoo, Irfan Lone, Asif Sheikh.
In November, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), laid down his life in a gunfight with the terrorists in Kishtwar district. Three other soldiers were also injured in the encounter in Keshwan forests when the joint search parties of the army and police intercepted a group of terrorists responsible for the recent killing of two village defence guards.
Two terrorists were also killed in November in an overnight encounter with security forces in Baramulla district. Their identification and affiliation are being ascertained, the Kashmir Zone police posted on X. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain terrorists following the encounter which started on Thursday night after the security forces launched an intelligence-based operation.
