The Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a joint operation against terrorists in the Akar Forest near Patnitop on Tuesday. After several hours, they established contact with the terrorists.
The operation is still ongoing, with security personnel continuing to engage the terrorists. As part of a coordinated security effort, a special Naka has been established on the Batote-Doda highway.
Meanwhile, security forces throughout Jammu and Kashmir have been placed on high alert ahead of Independence Day to ensure public safety.
On Saturday, two Army soldiers lost their lives in an encounter. Jammu has witnessed a surge in terror attacks in recent months, including an assault on an army convoy in Kathua and clashes in Doda and Udhampur.
In a report to the Lok Sabha last month, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) revealed that 28 people, including civilians and security personnel, were killed in 11 terror-related incidents and 24 counter-terror operations up to July 21 this year.
In July, Indian Army troops thwarted an attack by Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Machchal sector of Kupwara district. The skirmish resulted in the death of one Pakistani intruder and one Indian Army soldier, with four others, including a major-rank officer, sustaining injuries.