It’s day four of a protracted gun battle between security forces and terrorists in the forests of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

As terrorists appear to be well entrenched, troops are treading cautiously even as drones and helicopters have been used in the operation to track down terrorists. Intermittent firing and occasional blasts are heard from the operation site.

The encounter started on Friday after the Army, police and CRPF launched a joint operation following a tip-off about the presence of a large group of terrorists at Akhal area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

In the initial shootout, one local terrorist was killed. Subsequently, police said that one more terrorist was killed but his body couldn’t be recovered due to ongoing fierce gun battle. Three security forces have also been injured in the encounter.

“So far, we have recovered body of one terrorist. We have observed body of another terrorist but we will wait till the time body is recovered. It’s a difficult terrain and a dense forest area ” said VK Birdi, IGP Kashmir.

Police sources say there was information about presence of five terrorists when operation was launched. According to reports, at least two or three are foreign terrorists who appear to be well trained in the jungle warfare. There are very few local terrorists left in Kashmir who are literally scarcely trained to face security forces.

According to IGP Birdi, firing is still going on and terrorists appear to be firing from two directions.

This is the third encounter in last one week. Earlier three terrorists who were behind Pahalgam massacre were killed in a meticulously planned operation by the security forces. Union Home Minister Amit shah told Parliament that three were identified as Pakistani terrorists who had carried out brutal killings of 26 innocent people in Pahalgam on April 22.

On Thursday, two more terrorists were killed near the line of control in Poonch. Police said that the duo had infiltrated from Pakistan and were intercepted soon after they entered the Indian side.