J&K encounter between militants, security forces underway at Anantnag

Security forces fired in retaliation to the firing launched by militants during a search operation in J&K's Anantnag. Combat is underway even as the security forces stepped up cordon search operations in the affected area.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) : An encounter began between the security forces and terrorists at the Andwan Sagam area in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday morning, police sources said. A search operation triggered firing from the militants which led to retaliatory fire from the security forces. As the militants escaped from the scene, the security forces mounted a massive search and cordon operation in the affected area.

The search was further intensified in the Andwan area after receiving inputs about the hiding of terrorists there, sources said. According to the police, there were no reports of any injuries or casualties so far on both sides. The security forces managed to cordon off the entire area. The gunfight was still underway when reports last came in. There has been no let-up in the terrorist activities in the Valley with repeated encounters taking place with the armed forces these days.

On May 6 this year, in an encounter at Baramulla, Rajouri, a militant was killed in the exchange of fire which took place in the Kandi forest. The slain militant was identified as a native of Kulgam. The deceased was said to have links with the banned militant organisation - Lashkar-e-Toiba. In the same place, five Army men died during an offensive by terrorists earlier.

Fierce encounters are taking place in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past. Four militants were killed in two encounters in J&K's Shopian in October last year. The police said that three of these terrorists were killed in the encounter in the Drach area of Shopian.