Two militants killed in encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara; combing operation on

At least two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Friday. The operation, in the Handwara area of the district, has ended and combing operations are underway, ANI reported. The bodies of the militants have been recovered. Their identities are yet to be ascertained, an official was quoted by India Today as saying. Contingents of the army’s 22 Rashtriya Rifles, 92 battalions, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Special Operations Group (SOG) conducted a cordon and search operation in the Babagund village in Langate on Thursday night, according to the report.

Jammu and Kashmir: Visuals from Kupwara district's Handwara area where an encounter took place between terrorists and security forces earlier this morning; search operation is underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/Y35hCeo1i9

— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2019

The encounter broke out soon after security forces intensified the search for the militants. On Wednesday , at least two Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in the state’s Shopian district. One of them was a Pakistani national. “On specific information, this operation was launched. Two terrorists were killed. These terrorists belonged to proscribed terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammad,” Kashmir’s Inspector General of Police SP Pani confirmed after the operation had concluded. He added, “Arms and ammunition have been recovered. From the material we have recovered, it is ascertained that one terrorist belonged to Pakistan, and the other is from a local area.” With inputs from agencies