Two soldiers killed in gunfight with terrorists in J&K’s Anantnag

Another encounter breaks out between security forces and terrorists in a remote forest in Kishtwar district

Srinagar: Two Army personnel were killed and six others, including two civilians, injured in a fierce gunfight with terrorists in a forest area of Jammu and Kashmir‘s Anantnag district at an altitude of 10,000 feet, officials said as an operation to hunt down the ultras continued despite the challenging topography.

The firefight occurred during a cordon and search operation that was initiated by the security forces based on intelligence reports indicating the presence of terrorists in the remote Ahlan Gagarmandu forest in the Kokernag belt.

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According to officials, the skirmish began when a group of terrorists opened fire at the joint search parties comprising Army troopers, including para commandos, and local police. In the ensuing gun battle, six Army personnel and two civilians were injured, officials said, adding the injured soldiers were promptly taken to a nearby hospital where two died shortly after arrival.

The remaining injured personnel and civilians are receiving medical attention, they said. Reinforcements have been deployed in the area and operations to locate and neutralise the fleeing terrorists are underway, the officials said.

Encounter breaks out
Meanwhile, an encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in a remote forest in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir early Sunday, officials said. The gunfight took place for a brief period when police assisted by army and paramilitary forces launched a search operation in Nownatta, Naageni Peyaas and adjoining areas following information about movement of terrorists, they said.

Reinforcements have been rushed to the area and an operation is underway to hunt down the terrorists. The latest encounter comes a day after two army personnel — Havaldar Dipak Kumar Yadav and Lance Naik Praveen Sharma — were killed and six others, including two civilians, were injured in a fierce gunfight in Kokernag woods in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.