One Pakistani LeT terrorist was killed in the Zaloora operation, while three others managed to flee.
At least two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in the Kupawara district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) while another encounter took place in the Shopian district, police stated. One of those killed in the Kupawara encounter belonged to Pakistan.
A joint special operation was launched by the security forces after information relating to the movement of terrorists in the Kandi area of Kupwara was received, a police spokesperson said.
Two terrorists, including a foreigner, were killed in the encounter and their bodies were retrieved from the site. They have been identified as Ishtiaq Ahmad Lone, a resident of Tral, and Tufail, a resident of Lahore in Pakistan. Both of them were affiliated to the proscribed terror group LeT, the spokesperson said.
It is believed that they were supposed to receive the terrorists who escaped during an operation in the Zaloora area of Sopore on Monday, he said.
One Pakistani LeT terrorist was killed in the Zaloora operation, while three others managed to flee, he added.
Incriminating materials and arms and ammunition, including two AK-series rifles, have been recovered from the encounter site. A search operation is still underway in the area to nab other hiding terrorists, according to the spokesperson.
The security forces launched another operation in the orchards of Badimarg Aloora area of south Kashmir's Shopian after receiving specific inputs about the presence of a terrorist there, the spokesperson said.
As the forces proceeded towards the spot, the hiding terrorist fired indiscriminately at them. The forces retaliated, resulting in the elimination of the terrorist, he said.
The slain terrorist was identified as Nadeem Ahmad Rather alias Kamran, a resident of Ashmuji, Kulgam, he added.
According to police records, Rather was a categorised terrorist, active since 2020. He had recently switched to the HM from the LeT.
Rather was part of groups involved in several terror cases, including attacks on police and security forces, and civilian atrocities.
He was also involved in Kulpora panch's killing on March 2. He was instrumental in reviving the HM in Kulgam by recruiting gullible youths, the spokesperson said.
Incriminating materials and arms and ammunition, including an AK rifle and an SLR, have been recovered from the encounter site. All the recovered materials have been included in the case records for further investigation, he said.
Vijay Kumar, Inspector General of Police, congratulated the forces for carrying out the operations without any collateral damage. He also congratulated the Shopian Police for cracking the IED blast case and arresting the accused persons in a record minimum time.
(With inputs from PTI)
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