Four terrorists linked to the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Monday morning, officials said.
Speaking to Sputnik, a senior armed forces officer stated that a joint team of security forces along with local Jammu and Kashmir Police had launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) following an input of terrorist movement in Shopian region late on Sunday night.
"The encounter between the terrorists and security forces broke out at around 2 a.m. after security forces approached the suspected spot where the terrorists were hiding. They terrorist fired upon the security forces, which retaliated and an encounter followed" a senior armed forces official told Sputnik.
He further mentioned that the terrorist turned down repeated government offers to surrender.
According to the police, internet services have been shut off in Shopian district as precautionary measure.
The gunfight between terrorists and Indian armed forces in Manihal, Shopian is the eighth encounter of the year, and the fourth after the truce at the Line of Control between Indian and Pakistani armies. Last week, top LeT commander Jehangeer Ahmad Wani, a local resident of Shopian and another commander-level terrorist of Jaish-e-Mohammed, Sajjad Afghani, were killed in the encounter in the valley.