Two militants linked to LeT were killed during an encounter in J&K's Baramulla

Digital Desk: Two  Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)  terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla area on Thursday, as reported by authorities.

Reportedly, Security forces conducted a search and seizure operation in the Wanigam Payeen Kreeri area of Baramulla district in north Kashmir early Thursday morning, based on specific information regarding the presence of terrorists, a police officer said. He claimed that the search evolved into an encounter after terrorists opened fire on a search party of the troops, who replied.

As said by the higher authorities, it is to be mentioned that the two terrorists were killed in exchange for firing, who added that their identity and group affiliation was being determined.

The killed militants were identified as Shakir Majid Najar and Hanan Ahmad Seh from south Kashmir's Shopian district and the info revealed by Kashmir's Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Vijay Kumar stated that they belonged to the banned terror group LeT, The encounter site yielded one AK rifle and one pistol, he added.

As per the statement given by ADGP, the pair had just joined militant ranks in March of this year. Local recruitment into militancy has decreased dramatically in the Valley this year, however, some young males are still joining terrorist groups in Kashmir's southern areas.

According to police data, there is no local militant in the north Kashmir districts of Kupwara and Bandipora, as well as the central Ganderbal district, while only one local ultra is active in the south Kashmir districts of Anantnag and Baramulla, as well as the central districts of Srinagar and Budgam. 

This was the second battle in the last 24 hours, as security forces were placed on high alert following intelligence reports that terrorists were planning a big strike ahead of the G-20 tourism working group meeting, which will be held in Kashmir from May 22 to 25. 

Furthermore, the Police and the Army repelled an infiltration attempt along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Machil area of the adjacent Kupwara district on Wednesday. During the operation, the two unidentified terrorists got killed.