Three freshly infiltrated terrorists have been killed in Vilgam forests of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Friday, officials said. The terrorists were intercepted on a day when Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged heavy artillery and gunfire in RS Pura sector in Jammu resulting into heavy casualties on both sides.

Defence sources said that gunfight occurred in Brinjal forest area of Vilgam, Handwara when soldiers of 15 Rashtriya Rifles intercepted a group of terrorists adjacent to Shahnagar Jat Gali, around 7 kilometres away from tehsil headquarters.

“The group of five terrorists opened fire upon the security forces. The fire was retaliated by the troops triggering a gunfight. The terrorists fired indiscriminately and in the gunfight three terrorists were killed,” they said.

The identity of slain terrorists and their affiliation was not ascertained immediately.

The encounter occurred on the second day of unilateral ceasefire announced by the central Government on eve of the holy month of Ramzan. The Government announced to stop anti-militancy operations in the State during the month of fasting. terror groups have not reciprocated the gesture. Pakistan based outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyeba has already rejected the ceasefire offer. On Friday, United Jihad Council, a conglomerate of several terror outfits described the ceasefire offer as “big joke” based on the idea of ceasefire versus ceasefire. “Once the month of Ramadan will be over, India will again unleash terror and resort to killings,” Syed Salahuddin, chairman of UJC was quoted as saying by his spokesman in a meeting at Muzaffarabad (PoK).

Courtesy: The Pioneer, Saturday, 19 May 2018 | Khursheed Wani | srinagar