7 terrorists killed in encounter near LoC

Seven terrorists were killed on Wednesday in a gunbattle between security forces and infiltrators near the Line of Control in Gurez Sector of Bandipora district in north Kashmir, defence officials said in Srinagar.

"Seven terrorists have been killed in a fresh exchange of firing during an ongoing operation in Baktoor area of Gurez Sector," Srinagar-based defence spokesman Lt Colonel J S Brar told PTI.

The spokesman said more details of the encounter will be available when the operation concludes, as the gunbattle is still on.

With Wednesday's killings, the death toll in the four-day operation has gone up to 12.

Four terrorists and an army jawan were killed on September 6.

Army had launched an operation Sunday in Baktoor area, around 140 km from Srinagar, following information about a group of terrorists trying to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied

Kashmir.

The soldiers had asked the terrorists to surrender but the latter opened firing, resulting in injuries to two jawans one of whom Havaldar Jung Bahadur Thapa, later succumbed.

The troops had returned the fire, triggering the gunbattle in which four unidentified terrorists were killed.