Jammu, 17 July

Security forces and terrorists exchanged fire twice briefly within a span of four hours in a forest area in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, officials said on Wednesday.

Village Defence Guards (VDGs) also opened fire on observing suspicious movement outside their village, while two explosive shells were recovered from Gandoh area, they said. The exchange of fire was first reported at Kalaan Bhata at 10.45 pm on Tuesday and then near Panchan Bhata at 2 am during the ongoing anti-terrorist operation in the Desa forest area, where four Army personnel were killed in the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

There are no reports of any casualties in the latest exchange of fire. Taking advantage of the darkness, difficult terrain and thick foliage, the terrorists managed to slip away, the officials said.

Troops of Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police had launched a joint cordon and search operation at Dhari Gote Urarbagi in the Desa forest belt, some 55 km from Doda town, late on Monday evening following information about the presence of terrorists.

Despite the challenging terrain and weather conditions, efforts are underway to track down and neutralise the terrorists who have links with the banned Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), the officials said.

The Army, along with para commandos and aerial support from drones and helicopters, is intensifying its search operation to eliminate the terrorists who have infiltrated from across the border and taken refuge in the forest area.

The officials said village defence guards opened fire on observing suspicious movement near their Melan village in Desa area during the intervening night. Police along with Army have reached the village and a thorough search of the area was launched this morning, they said.

The officials said two explosive shells were recovered during a separate search operation in Sinoo forest area of Gandoh in Doda district. Sinoo forest witnessed a day-long encounter on June 26, resulting in the killing of three foreign terrorists and recovery of a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including a US-made M4 carbine.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Army had said it had been conducting a series of joint and coordinated operations with the Jammu and Kashmir Police to eliminate foreign terrorists who had infiltrated from across the border and were moving in the upper reaches of Udhampur, Doda and Kishtwar districts in the Jammu region and thereafter to Kashmir.

"All formations of the Northern Command are committed to eliminating the scourge of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir for which the relentless operations will continue," the Army had said.