J&K: Soldier killed in encounter with JeM terrorists in Udhampur
What's the story
A soldier was killed in a gunfight with suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Friday. The encounter took place during a joint operation by the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police's Special Operations Group (SOG) in the Seoj Dhar forest area. The soldier, who was critically injured during the exchange of fire, succumbed to his injuries later.
Ongoing operation
Operation continues to flush out terrorists
Security forces have cordoned off the area and are continuing their search for two to three terrorists believed to be hiding in the difficult terrain. The operation is being conducted with reinforcements from both Udhampur and Doda sides, including drones and sniffer dogs. Despite no fresh contact with the terrorists, combing operations continue in this challenging landscape.
Previous incidents
Area has witnessed several gunfights over past year
The area has witnessed several gunfights over the past year, including the killing of a top JeM commander, Haider, in June. In April, an Army soldier was also killed in Basantgarh. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Police's Counter-Intelligence unit conducted extensive searches across seven districts of the Kashmir Valley in connection with a terror crime case. Separately, security forces recovered a large cache of weapons, including 20 Chinese hand grenades, from the Poonch sector.