A team of security forces was on a cordon and search operation when they were fired at
A soldier was killed and six terrorists were shot dead during a fierce gunbattle in Shopian district of south Kashmir early this morning. A civilian was also killed in the clashes that broke out between protesters and security forces soon after the operation.
Police said the terrorists killed in the encounter were involved in civilian killings in the valley. One of them was a Pakistani terrorist involved in the recent execution of a teenager.
The midnight operation was launched at Batgund village in Shopian district after security forces received information about the presence of a heavily armed group inside a house.
The soldier killed in the encounter is a resident of Kulgam district.
Violent protesters took to streets after the operation, throwing stones at security forces and vehicles.
The police said a joint team of the army, CRPF paramilitary forces and Jammu and Kashmir police were carrying out searches when the terrorists opened fired at them, leading to retaliation.
"Four terrorists were killed outside the target house when they tried to break the cordon," said a senior police officer who supervised the operation.
The two other terrorists continued firing from the house. They were later shot dead after a three-hour gunfight, the police said.
The Pakistani terrorist killed in the encounter recently killed a teenager in the area. The terrorists also posted a video showing a blood-soaked knife, and threatened of more killings.
The police said a local terrorist killed in the encounter was involved in the murder of a former public prosecutor in Shopian a year ago. The target house where the terrorists were hiding was destroyed after troops bombed the structure.
The police said six rifles and ammunition were recovered from the encounter site.
This is the third major encounterin less than a week in which 16 terrorists have been gunned down in south Kashmir.