SRINAGAR: There is no letup in the din of loud explosions and bursts of gunfire in the dense forests of Akhal in J&K’s Kulgam district as the gunfight between terrorists and forces entered its fourth day on Monday, marking the second-longest encounter in the Valley in two years.
A security official said drones, unmanned aerial vehicles and Army helicopters have been hovering over the area for aerial surveillance to pinpoint the exact location of the terrorists.
According to some sources, the terrorists had made hideouts in the dense forests, and the forces are trying to locate them. Explosive devices have been dropped on the suspected hideouts, causing extensive damage to them.
Sources privy to the matter said that two terrorists have been killed in the gunfight that erupted on Friday after Army, police and CRPF personnel launched a joint search operation in the forests based on inputs about the presence of a group of Lashkar-e-Taiba members. Meanwhile, three Army men injured in the gunfight are currently undergoing treatment.
“The operation may be prolonged as the forces are moving cautiously to avoid casualties and to dry up the terrorists’ ammunition,” a source said.