Shopian encounter: Security forces retaliated after terrorists opened fire, officials said.
Highlights
- Encounter began at around 4:20 am in south Kashmir's Shopian
- Search operation was launched after getting input on terrorists' presence
- Indian fighter jets struck biggest Jaish training camp in Pak on Tuesday
Two Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were killed in an encounter that broke out early this morning in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian, the police said. The encounter took place a day after Indian fighter jets struck the biggest training camp of Jaish within Pakistan.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Meemendar area of Shopian after getting information about presence of terrorists there, officials said.
They said the search operation turned into an encounter after terrorists opened fire towards the security forces, who retaliated.
The exchange of fire comes a day after India bombed and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) biggest training camp in Balakot, about 80 km from the Line of Control (LoC), killing a "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders of Jaish. Over 300 terrorists including Jaish chief Masood Azhar's brother-in-law were killed, sources said.
The Jaish-e-Mohammed had killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldiers in Pulwama on February 14, in the deadliest attack on security forces in Kashmir.
Tension between India and Pakistan heightened following the Balakot strikes.Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired an emergency meeting yesterday, after which Islamabad said in a statement: "India has committed uncalled for aggression to which Pakistan shall respond at the time and place of its choosing."
Heavy shelling was reported at several areas in Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control. Five soldiers in the Akhnoor sector in firing by Pakistani forces. Schools in the border town of Rajouri are closed today after the tension along the Line of Control.