Srinagar : Two unidentified militants were killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in the forests of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Thursday. Reports said the gunfight broke out after Army’s 14 Rashtriya Rifles and J&K police launched cordon-and-search operation (CASO) at Shukbabun area of Sumlar forest area of Bandipora.
As the forces intensified the searches, the hiding militants opened fire triggering off a gunfight, in which two militants were killed so far, sources said. The slain militants are most probably of the foreign origin. ““Operation is still on and might prolong for the night as there is a possibility of more militants trapped,” they said and reinforcements have been sent to the area to ensure that militants don’t escape the cordon.
Confirming the killing of two militants in the ongoing gunfight the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Range, Swayam Prakash Pani said “While the body of one militant has been recovered the another one is visible and lying at the encounter site. The cordon and search is intact as the area is vast. No firing is going on presently,” Pani added.
The latest gunfight comes just four days after five local militants, belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfits, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chowgam area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
