Jammu: Two more terrorists were killed in the Akhnoor area of Jammu on Tuesday morning as security forces launched their final assault against militants holed up in the area, taking the number of ultras killed in the 27-hour-long gunfight near the Line of Control (LoC) to three, officials said.
A massive combing operation continues in the area on the second day of the anti-militancy operation launched by a joint team of security forces on Monday when militants attacked an army convoy.
One of the three terrorists who fired at an army ambulance that was part of a convoy moving near the Line of Control (LoC) on Monday morning was killed by the evening in an operation launched by the special forces and NSG commandos.
During the search operation on the second day, the militants again opened fire as security forces closed in on them near Jogwan village in Khour area of Akhnoor. During the firing, the security forces managed to eliminate two more terrorists, officials said.
They said the encounter has ended but the operation is on to retrieve the bodies of the slain terrorists who are believed to have infiltrated from across the border on Sunday night before appearing outside a temple and targeting the army convoy.
Officials said that additional forces have been deployed in the area, and a large-scale search operation is underway to locate more terrorists. The Army has also pressed its four BMP-II infantry combat vehicles for surveillance and strengthening the cordon around the attack site, while helicopters and drones were also deployed to locate the hiding terrorists.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Police also conducted an intensive search operation in the nearby areas.
Army dog Phantom sustains fatal injuries
In the ongoing Akhnoor operation, one Army dog made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the nation, the Army said on Monday evening. The Army officials said that as troops were closing in on the trapped terrorists, Phantom (the dog) drew enemy fire, sustaining fatal injuries. "His courage, loyalty, and dedication will never be forgotten," the Army said in a statement.
Phantom was part of the special para forces when he was killed in action while tracking militants.
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