2 Pak terrorists shot dead in J&K encounter; 2 Indian soldiers killed in action

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Two Pakistani terrorists were shot dead in an encounter along the Line of Control, a defence spokesperson in Jammu and Kashmir said. Two Indian soldiers were killed in action, the spokesperson said.

This was the second encounter along the Line of Control or LoC in as many days. The ceasefire along the LoC is seen to be on weak ground now, NDTV reports.

The encounters and intensive search operations by Indian soldiers come less than a month after a drone attack at an Indian Air Force base in Jammu region by Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

“Based on information about infiltration and movement of terrorists in Dadal, Sundarbani sector, Rajouri district, the army had launched extensive search operations on Jun 29,” the defence spokesperson said. “Subsequently, the information was corroborated on July 8 and a search and destroy patrol seeking proactive engagement with the terrorists, spotted them at Dadal forest and challenged them,” he said.

“The terrorists opened fire and lobbed hand grenades, leading to a fierce encounter in which two foreign terrorists from Pakistan have been killed. In the operation, two jawans received fatal injuries. A detailed search of the area continues,” he said.

In the other encounter yesterday, a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, Mehrazuddin Halwai, who was known to use social media to find recruits, was shot dead by the security forces.

The army has been hitting hard terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and along the LoC and has stepped up seek and destroy missions, especially after the recent drone attack. The technology used in the drone strikes on the air force base indicated “state-support” and involvement of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, Lt General DP Pandey, Corps Commander of the 15 Corps in Srinagar, told NDTV on June 30.

General Pandey had said the army is “well aware these assets and tech – like drones and drone warfare – are state-supported systems” and that such threats may continue and even increase.