In north Kashmir, two Pakistani terrorists were killed in separate encounters with security forces on Wednesday—one in Bandipora’s Ketson area and another in Lolab, Kupwara. The operations yielded significant weaponry, including an M4 carbine near the terrorist in Bandipora and an AK-47 rifle, hand grenades, and magazines found at the Kupwara site, as reported by officials.
These encounters are part of an intensified security crackdown following a surge in attacks across the Kashmir Valley, most notably the killing of seven tunnel construction workers in Ganderbal on October 20. This escalation comes in the wake of the establishment of an elected government in Jammu & Kashmir last month, marking the first such government in six years.
The recent security sweeps have led to the elimination of seven terrorists, including two killed in Bandipora on November 5, a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander identified as Usman from Pakistan in Srinagar on November 2, and two others in Anantnag on the same day. However, terrorists retaliated with a grenade attack in a busy Srinagar market on November 3, injuring 12 people.
Officials mentioned that security forces have been on high alert since a group of terrorists briefly exchanged fire with a search team before escaping into Bandipora’s Panar forest on November 1. The terrorist killed in Ketson is believed to have been part of this group.
