Srinagar: Two Army soldiers were killed and an equal number were injured in a gun battle with terrorists in hilly Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.
“Based on the intelligence inputs, a joint operation with J&K Police was launched in area Chatroo at #Kishtwar. A contact has been established with the terrorists at 1530 hrs. In the ensuing firefight four army personnel have been injured. The operation is in progress,” the Indian Army posted on X.
Of the four injured, two succumbed later while being evacuated to the nearby Command Hospital, sources said. Two to three terrorists are reported to be hiding in the forests, and more reinforcements have been sent to the encounter site.
The latest encounter in Kishtwar district, which is going to the polls during the first phase on September 18, has come only two days after security forces and police had killed two terrorists in Khandara Top area of Basantgarh, in J&K’s Udhampur district on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Nadrendra Modi is scheduled to address an election rally in neighboring Doda district on Saturday.
The rising incident of terror attacks, especially in Jammu region, raises concerns among security agencies, with assembly elections approaching for the first time in a decade. The increase in terror incidents in the Jammu region is troubling, as over 53 security personnel have been lost in encounters with terrorists since 2021.
Sources indicate that a group of approximately 40-50 terrorists, who have infiltrated the Jammu region in recent years, are equipped with advanced weaponry including American M4 rifles, night vision sights, telescopic lenses, and encrypted radio sets. They typically operate in small units of 3-5 individuals.
Published 13 September 2024, 16:37 IST