New Delhi: An encounter broke out between militants and security forces in Shirmal area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday, police said. According to a report by news agency IANS, the firefight started after a joint team of police and security forces got information about the presence of terrorists in that area.
“Encounter has started at Shirmal area of Shopian. Police and security forces are on the job,” police said.
#Encounter has started at Shirmal area of #Shopian. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) June 25, 2022
Terrorists hiding in the area started firing as the police approached, drawing retaliation by the security forces. The area has been cordoned off by the security forces, police added.
Earlier in the day, a senior Army officer said that there are around 150 militants at the launchpads across the Line of Control (LoC) who are ready to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir, while 500 to 700 others are undergoing training at eleven terror camps.
“There are about 500 to 700 people at the 11 training camps at Manshera, Kotli and Muzaffarabad across the LoC,” news agency PTI quoted the officer as saying. However, the security forces have successfully been able to thwart infiltration bids by the militants along LoC, he added.
It is to be noted that there have been a series of encounters between militants and security forces in Kashmir over the last few months in which many terrorists and their commanders have been killed.
Earlier on June 15, one out of two terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) killed in Shopian encounter was involved in the killing of bank manager Vijay Kumar in Kulgam district, according to police.
On June 20, Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) Vijay Kumar said seven militants, including three Pakistanis, have been killed in different encounters with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.