Two terrorists gunned down in J-K's Kupwara encounter, search operation underway

In yet another ensuing gunfight, two terrorists have been killed by security forces in Babagund village near Langate area of Handwara in north Kashmir's Kupwara district. However, police is yet to confirm the identity and affiliation of the slain. The encounter which broke out in the wee hours of Friday, came to an end following the recovery of the terrorists' bodies from the spot. Though firing is now stopped in the area, a search operation was still underway when the last reports came in.

According to sources, the joint forces of Army’s 22 RR, 92 battalion CRPF and SOG of police launched a cordon-and-search operation following specific input about the presence of terrorists at Khanu Babagund hamlet in Langate at around 9 pm on Thursday. Artificial lights were installed to prevent the terrorists from escaping owing to darkness.

With the searches being intensified in the area, terrorists opened fire at the forces around 1:00 am on Friday, leading to a gunfight which is yet to be concluded. The army has already rushed more reinforcements in the area.

"UPDATE: The firing has now stopped. A search operation is underway," the news agency ANI reported.

Jammu and Kashmir: Visuals from Kupwara district's Handwara area where an encounter took place between terrorists and security forces earlier this morning; search operation is underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/Y35hCeo1i9

— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2019

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a civilian has been injured in a ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Uri sector on Thursday. Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing towards Indian posts and villages in Kamalkote area of Uri in Baramulla district through out the night. However, Indian Army has responded to the Pakistani firing in adequate measure.

These movements come days after the Indian Air Force (IAF), in a pre-dawn airstrike, had on February 26 bombed terror camps at multiple locations across the Line of Control on the Pakistani side, 12 days after Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group carried out the dastardly Pulwama attack in Kashmir.

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They said the IAF's Mirage 2000 fighter jets pounded the terror camps in Balakot, Muzaffarabad and Chakoti in the well-planned strike destroying Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camps. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the operation.

Adding fuel to the already worse situation, Pakistan retaliated with sending its US-made F-16 across LOC, targeting India's military establishment. MiG-21 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were sent to engage with comparatively advanced F-16s. MiG-21 of the IAF even managed to bring down one F-16 of Pakistani Air Force, before being shot down.

On Wednesday, two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists were gunned down by security forces during an encounter in Memander area of Shopian district in the state. On February 25, a deputy superintendent of police, an army jawan and three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were killed during another encounter in the Turigam area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district.