An encounter between security forces and terrorists erupted in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, the Indian Army confirmed. A search operation had been launched earlier in the Banj area by local police and security personnel, which led to the confrontation.
According to the Army, contact was established with the terrorists, prompting an exchange of gunfire. “The area has been cordoned off, and further details are awaited,” the Army stated.
This encounter follows another clash earlier in the day between security forces and terrorists in the Kalaban area, near Pathanateer in the Mendhar sector of Poonch district. Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed contact with terrorists in the Kalaban area, pinpointing the location to Katara in Mendhar.
The joint search operation in Poonch involves the Romeo Force of the Indian Army, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Poonch Police, and the CRPF, an official from Poonch Police reported.
These incidents come shortly after two army soldiers were killed on Friday in a gunbattle with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, reflecting the ongoing tensions in the region. Further updates on the Kathua encounter are expected as the operation continues.