Security forces and terrorists exchanged fire twice within four hours in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials reported on Wednesday. The area has been the focus of an ongoing anti-terrorist operation.
The first exchange of fire was reported at Kalaan Bhata at 10:45 pm on Tuesday, followed by another at Panchan Bhata at 2:00 am.
These incidents occurred during a joint cordon and search operation in the Desa forest area, where four Army personnel were killed on the intervening nights of Monday and Tuesday.
“There are no reports of any casualties in the latest exchange of fire,” officials said. They added that the terrorists managed to slip away, taking advantage of darkness, difficult terrain, and thick foliage.
Troops of the Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police launched the operation at Dhari Gote Urarbagi in the Desa forest belt, approximately 55 kilometres from Doda town, late on Monday evening, following information about the presence of terrorists.
Despite the challenging terrain and weather conditions, efforts are underway to track down and neutralise the terrorists, who are said to have links with the banned Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), according to officials.
The Army, along with para commandos and aerial support from drones and helicopters, is intensifying its search operation to eliminate the terrorists who have infiltrated from across the border and taken refuge in the forest area.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Army said, “It has been conducting a series of joint and coordinated operations with the Jammu and Kashmir Police to eliminate foreign terrorists who had infiltrated from across the border and were moving in the upper reaches of Udhampur, Doda, and Kishtwar districts in the Jammu region and thereafter to Kashmir.”
“All formations of the Northern Command are committed to eliminating the scourge of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, for which relentless operations will continue,” the Army added.
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