Two soldiers killed, three injured in encounter with terrorists in Kashmir's Anantnag district

As per latest updates, reinforcements have been rushed to the area, and an operation to track down and neutralise the terrorists was going on. Pic/PTI

Two Army personnel were killed while three others sustained injuries in a fierce gunfight with terrorists in a forest at a remote area in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Saturday, officials said.

The incident occurred at Ahlan Gagarmandu forest in the Kokernag area of the south Kashmir district during a cordon and search operation that was launched following information about the presence of terrorists there, they said.

The terrorists hiding in the forest opened indiscriminate fire upon noticing the search parties, leading to an intense gun battle, officials said.

Five army personnel were injured in the firing by the terrorists and immediately rushed to a hospital, where two of them died, news agency ANI reported.

Reinforcements have been rushed to the area, and an operation to track down and neutralise the terrorists was ongoing on when last reports were received, the officials said.

The Army's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, in a post on X, said, "Based on specific intelligence input, a joint operation was launched by the Indian Army, @JmuKmrPolice & @crpf_srinagar today in general area Kokernag, Anantnag. Contact was established and a firefight ensued."

The spot of the encounter is said to be "communication deficient forest area", they added.

Earlier in the day, the Jammu and Kashmir Police released the sketches of four terrorists who were last seen in Dhoks of Malhar, Bani and Seojdhar of Kathua district.

The police also announced an award of Rs 5 lakh to those who present information about the terrorists.

The development comes against the backdrop of the recent terror attacks in the Jammu region, including an attack on the army convoy in Kathua as well as encounters in Doda and Udhampur.

(With PTI and ANI inputs)