Seven terrorists, including three from the banned Pakistan-based outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad, have been killed in India’s Jammu and Kashmir union territory since Friday as part of a security operation against terrorism in the valley, officials said on Saturday.
A critically injured soldier of the Indian Army later succumbed to his injuries. He was wounded during the encounter between terrorists and security personnel, officials said.
According to a senior Jammu and Kashmir police official, the encounter started at around 1 am and lasted for over five hours.
"A joint team of forces approached the suspected spot when the hiding terrorists fired upon them. It was retaliated, triggering an encounter", the officer, who didn’t wish to be identified, said.
Three of the seven terrorists were gunned down on Saturday morning in the Pulwama district. "We have seized heavy arms and ammunition from their possession", the officer added.
On Friday evening, four terrorists were shot dead and one was nabbed by security forces in Shopian district.
Officials revealed that two of these four terrorists who were shot dead were involved in the kidnapping and killing of a federally governing Bharatiya Janata Party member.
According to the officials, terror incidents have seen a steep rise, with over 150 terrorists killed in encounters since the beginning of the year until July.
As per the data, terrorists have carried out around 80 attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 security personnel and 13 civilians have been killed, while over 50 officials have sustained injuries.