Kulgam op enters Day 6, security forces exchange fire with terrorists

The anti-terrorist operation in Kulgam district entered the sixth day on Wednesday as security forces continued to battle the ultras hiding in the deep forest area.

A senior police official said the security forces were using all means, including drones and helicopters, to track down the terrorists in the difficult terrain in the forest area. “The operation has entered its sixth day and is going on,” the official said, adding intermittent exchange of firing is going on.

Two terrorists have been killed while at least two security forces personnel were injured in the gunfight which began on Friday after security forces launched a cordon and search operation in a forest area at Akhal in the south Kashmir district, following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists there.

After an initial exchange of fire between the two sides on Friday evening, the operation was halted for the night, but the cordon was strengthened, and additional reinforcements were rushed to the area, officials said. Firing resumed on Saturday morning, during which the two terrorists were killed, they said.

The identity and group affiliation of the slain terrorists has not been ascertained so far, they added.