SRINAGAR: The New Year is seeing a surge in encounters in Jammu and Kashmir despite the inclement weather. Six gunfights have taken place in the Union Terriroty, including five in Kashmir and one at the International Border (IB) in Jammu, in the first five days of this year.
In the latest incident, three Jaish-e-Mohammad militants were killed in an encounter Wednesday during a search operation in Pulwama district. A police official said two of the slain militants were Pakistani nationals.
It was the sixth encounter in the UT in the five days of 2022. Of these encounters, five have taken place in the Valley while the remaining one in Jammu district. Of the five encounters in the Valley, one took place at the LoC in Kupwara, two in Shalimar area of Srinagar, one each in Kulgam and Pulwama districts of south Kashmir.
A security official said despite inclement weather, there has been no let up in anti-militancy operations. “We launch operations against militants as and when we receive information about their presence. Most of the operations are launched based on human intelligence,” he said.
Incidently, while six encounters have taken place in the five days of this year so far, only two encounters had taken place in the first month of 2021.