Six terrorists were killed by security forces during two separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir, in the wee hours of Thursday, 30 December.
The terrorists belonged to terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), as per the Kashmir Zone Police. While two of the neutralised terrorists are Pakistani nationals, two were local militants. The identification process for the remaining two is underway.
As per SSP Anantnag Ashish, the two local terrorists were identified as Nisar Ahmed Khande and Mufti Altaf, news agency ANI reported.
Additionally, an M4 rifle and its 7 magazines, 2 AK series rifles and its 2 magazines, a pistol and its 2 magazines, 3 grenades, and other incriminating material were recovered, the SSP indicated.
Kashmir Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar hailed the operation as "a big success."
"Three army jawans and a J&K Police jawan got injured. Later, an Army jawan was martyred, while the rest are stable," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
The Two Encounters
The first encounter began around 7:30 pm on Wednesday in Nowgam Shahabad, Dooru area of Anantnag. In the initial firing, 1 police officer got injured and was subsequently shifted to hospital.
Merely hours later, another encounter was launched at Kulgam's Mirhama area, wherein two local terrorists and a Pakistani terrorist beloning to JeM were killed. An M4 and two AK-47 rifles were recovered during the encounter.
"Three JeM terrorists have been killed in Kulgam, 1 was a Pakistani militant and 2 were local terrorists; no collateral damage reported. Another terrorist was killed in the initial firing at night and 2 in the early morning, at the Anantnag encounter," IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar was quoted as saying by ANI.
Meanwhile, six terrorists had been killed in a series of operations on Saturday and Sunday. The killer of a police official was among the six terrorists neutralised in the in four anti-terrorist operations in Kashmir, officials had said on Sunday.
"In December, 24 terrorists have been killed, out of which five are Pakistanis. We've recovered two US-made M4 carbine rifles, 15 AK47s, over 24 pistols, grenades, IEDs; it proves Pakistan JeM militant involvement. Security forces and intelligence network is on alert," IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar was quoted as saying by ANI.
'Terrorism Reducing in J&K': IGP Kashmir
Vijay Kumar, IGP Kashmir, also said that terrorism was reducing in Jammu and Kashmir. "We've been able to breach the mark of 200 terrorists in Kashmir, as it has come down to 180. For the first time in history, local terrorists have reduced to less than 100. The count is 85-86 after yesterday's encounter. So, terrorism is reducing," he said.
"128 local terrorists had joined this year, out of which 73 were killed in encounters and 16 were arrested. Only 39 are active currently. The numbers are significantly down as compared to the last two years," he added.
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