Key Points

One terrorist was killed in the initial exchange of gunfire between the joint forces and the terrorists in the Gudar forest area of Kulgam. Three soldiers, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO), were injured in the operation.

The injured were shifted to a hospital, where two injured soldiers succumbed, while the doctors have described the conditions of the JCO as stable.

In continuing operation, another terrorist was killed.

Army's Srinagar headquartered Chinar Corps said on X: "OP GUDDAR, Kulgam Chinar Corps honours the supreme sacrifice of the Bravehearts, Sub Perbhat Gaur and L/Nk Narender Sindhu, in line of duty for the Nation. Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. #IndianArmy expresses deepest condolences and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families".

"Operation continues".

The exact identity of the slain terrorists is being ascertained. A gunfight had broken out as joint teams of the security forces started a CASO (Cordon and Search Operation) in the Gudar forest area, following information about the presence of terrorists there.

"As the joint forces came closer, hiding terrorists opened fire, after which an encounter started," an official said.

Joint forces have started aggressive anti-terrorist operations in J&K, and these operations are targeted against the terrorists, their overground workers (OGWs), and sympathisers.

Security forces believe that in order to dismantle the ecosystem of terror in the UT, the focus should not merely be on the elimination of the gun-wielding terrorist, but also those helping to sustain terrorism.

After 'Operation Sindoor' was suspended, there have been attempts by the terrorists to infiltrate into J&K from the Pakistani side of the Line of Control (LoC). J&K has a 740-Km-long LoC, which is guarded by the army. In addition to the LoC, there is nearly a 240-km-long International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts that is also guarded by the BSF.

With the help of Pakistan, terrorist outfits have been using drones, especially along the International Border, to drop weapons, drugs and cash on the Indian side for the terrorists.

The BSF has been using special anti-drone technology to ensure that the handlers of terrorism sitting in Pakistan are prevented from using these means to sustain terrorism in J&K.

Drug smugglers and drug peddlers are also under the radar of the security forces since it is believed that the funds generated by drug smuggling and hawala money rackets are ultimately used to sustain terrorism.

In the majority of such cases, the roots of drug smuggling and hawala money rackets have been traced to Pakistan and the handlers of terror operatives based there.

- IANS