2 soldiers killed, 2 hurt in encounter with terrorists in J-K's Kishtwar

Two Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer, were killed and an equal number injured in an encounter with terrorists in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, security officials said on Friday.

The gunfight broke out when a joint security party of the Army and police, acting on a tip-off, launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Naidgham area in the Chhatroo belt, they added.

The officials said there was an exchange of fire between the search team of the security forces and the terrorists hiding in the Pingnal Dugadda forest area in the upper reaches of Naidgham village located within the Chhatroo police station limits.

Four Army personnel were injured in the gunbattle and two of them -- JCO Naib Subedar Vipan Kumar and Sepoy Arvind Singh -- later succumbed to the injuries, the officials said.

The Army also confirmed the killing of the two soldiers.

"GOC (General Officer Commanding) White Knight Corps and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of the bravehearts; offer deepest condolences to the families," the Army said.

Earlier, the Army had said contact was established and the search party exchanged a heavy volume of fire with the terrorists around 3:30 pm.

"In the ensuing firefight four army personnel have been injured. The operation is in progress," the Jammu-based White Knight Corps said in a post on X.

The officials said the injured soldiers were airlifted to an Army hospital after preliminary treatment at a local hospital.

The encounter comes two days after the Army, in a successful operation, neutralised two Pakistani terrorists affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit in the higher reaches of Basantgarh in Udhampur district.