Three Militants Neutralized in Jammu and Kashmir Encounter

Militant Encounter in Awantipora

On Thursday, security forces engaged in a gunfight in Awantipora, Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of three suspected militants, as reported by the Indian Army.

According to an unnamed police source cited by a local media outlet, at least one of the deceased militants is thought to have connections with the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The identities of the militants are currently being verified, and the operation is ongoing, stated the Army.

The operation commenced in Nader village, located in the Tral area of Awantipora, following specific intelligence received from an agency. This region falls within the Pulwama district.

“Troops observed suspicious movements, and upon confronting the militants, they opened fire, leading to a fierce exchange,” reported the XV Corps of the Army.

The operation involved collaboration between the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Reserve Police Force.

This incident follows a similar encounter two days prior in Shopian district, where three terrorists were also killed. Reports indicated that these individuals were suspected to be affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba.

These confrontations occur amid a recent agreement between India and Pakistan to cease hostilities after a four-day conflict.

Escalating tensions were noted on May 7 when the Indian military executed strikes, dubbed Operation Sindoor, targeting alleged terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

These strikes were a response to a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in 26 fatalities on April 22.

In retaliation, the Pakistan Army engaged in shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control, leading to the deaths of at least 22 Indian civilians and seven military personnel.