Another Army soldier was killed in an encounter with the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Thursday, 23 November, a day after four soldiers, including two Army Captains, were martyred.
Earlier today, two terrorists, including a high-ranking Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, were killed in the same gunfight.
The Jammu Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO) said that one of the deceased militants has been identified as Quari, who was a citizen of Pakistan and a top LeT leader, and was deployed to revive militancy in the area.
"He is also believed to be the mastermind of the Dangri & Kandi attacks. He is an expert in IEDs, operating and hiding from caves and a trained sniper," the official added.
The encounter: The encounter had been ongoing for the last 24 hours to eliminate terrorists in the Kalakote's Baji Maal area, where a cordon and search operation was put into effect. Additional forces had also been deployed in the area.
On Wednesday, a gunfight had broken out between terrorists and joint forces of the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Bajimaal area of Dharmsal.
"Based on specific intelligence, a joint operation was launched in the Gulabgarh forest area of Kalakote in Rajouri on November 19. Contact was established on November 22 and an intense firefight ensued. The terrorists have been injured and surrounded, and the operation is in progress amid acts of valour and sacrifice by bravehearts in trying to prevent collateral damage to women and children in keeping with the highest traditions of the Army," the Nagrota-based 16 Corps of the Army had said earlier in an official statement.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed his condolences on the deaths of the army personnel.
In September 2023, two senior army officers and a J&K Police officer were killed in an encounter with terrorists in Kashmir's Anantnag district.
(With inputs from PTI and NDTV.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)