An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in the Sugoo Hendhama area of the Shopian district in south Kashmir. According to the latest updates, five unidentified terrorists have been gunned down.
DGP Jammu and Kashmir has confirmed that five terrorists were eliminated in the encounter “Terrorist toll killed in the ongoing operation at Shopian is 5 now. Search on,” he said.
A top police official informed that the bodies of the terrorists along with the arms and ammunition have been recovered from the encounter site, adding that the operation is now over and forces are being withdrawn. The identity of the terrorists is being ascertained.
"On a specific input to the police, a joint operation was launched by police, army and CRPF unit. The input was that a group of terrorists were hiding in a hideout in orchards. As the hideout was cordoned, the militants opened fire on the security forces which was retaliated," said DGP Dilbag Singh, adding that it was an old hideout made by terrorists that they were using for some time and the forces were waiting for an appropriate time to launch the operation.
With the encounter, a total of 14 terrorists have been killed in the last four days in the Shopian district. Earlier, in two separate encounters at Reban and Pinjura villages of the district on June 6 and 7, nine terrorists were reportedly associated with terrorist outfit Hizb ul Mujahideen.
A J&K Police official said, "As the joint team of forces cordoned the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them. It was retaliated upon, triggering the encounter. They further said that the terrorists were first asked to surrender. The input is that two to three militants are believed to be trapped but the actual number can only be known when the operation ends."
So far in this year, security forces have succeeded in killing 93 terrorists, including top commanders of almost every terror outfit active in the area.
Meanwhile, mobile internet services were suspended in the district as a precautionary measure.