With the onset of winter in Kashmir valley, militants groups across the Line of Control (LoC) are desperate to push in fresh batches of militants before any snowfall.
In one such bid on Saturday, three militants were killed by security forces in Gurez sector, north of Srinagar.
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batch of heavily-armed militants was spotted by security forces in the morning in Gurez sector, a Defence spokesman said. Gurez, which is 123 km north of Srinagar, is a traditional route of militants to sneak into the valley.
The spokesman said the militants were challenged by the security forces and were asked to lay down their arms. “The soldiers asked them to surrender, but they refused, and a gunbattle began after they opened fire,” Lieutenant Colonel JS Brar said in Srinagar.
In the ensuing encounter, two heavily-armed militants were killed, the spokesman said. A search operation in Gurez’s thick forests is on. Security agencies suspect presence of more militants in the woods.
Gurez receives heavy snowfall in winters so militants are trying their best to infiltrate before any heavy snowfall.