Srinagar: An encounter has started between militants and security forces in the Ashmuji area of Kulgam in Jammu and Kashmir. The soldiers have gunned down one of the terrorists who was firing. He has not been identified primarily. More than two terrorists are still reported to be trapped in the area. The encounter is currently underway. This is the third encounter in the Kulgam district this week. Earlier on Wednesday, security forces in the district had achieved a major breakthrough and killed five terrorists in two separate encounters.
Security forces launched a joint operation following reports of militants being present in the Ashmuji area on Saturday. The soldiers reached the area and started a cordon off the militants. The militants opened indiscriminate fire on the security forces after seeing themselves trapped. One terrorist was killed in retaliation. Among the five terrorists killed on Wednesday was Ashfaq Ahmed, commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba's affiliate The Resistant Front (TRF). Two of the other terrorists belonged to TRF and two from Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. Weapons have also been recovered from the terrorists. It is not known what kind of weapons were found from there.
Kashmir IG Vijay Kumar said security forces had received inputs on Wednesday that some terrorists were hiding in the Pambai and Gopal Pora villages of the Kulgam district. Security forces then cordoned off the area at both places and launched a search operation. Meanwhile, the hiding terrorists started firing. Five terrorists were killed in retaliation.
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