Shopian, June 11: Security forces gunned down two terrorists belonging to Ansar Ghazwatul Hind (AGH) outfit in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district. The encounter took place in Awneera village of Zainapora area in Shopian district early Tuesday. The slain militants have been identified as Shakir Ahmad of Shopian and Sayar Bhat of Kulgam district. No security official was injured in the operation.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) in Awneera village of Shopian district yesterday evening following information about some militants hiding there. The hiding terrorists opened fire at them triggering an encounter. In retaliatory fire, two terrorists were neutralised. While the encounter concluded, searches were underway at the gunfight site. Four JeM Terrorists Killed in Pulwama, Two Militants Hurl Bombs at Police Station in Sopore.

The slain terrorists belonged to AGH terror outfit. Zakir Musa, the chief of AGH, was killed by the security forces in an encounter in Tral area of Pulwama district on May 24 this year. Before he became the first militant commander to head AGH, Musa had succeeded Hizbul Mujahideen's Burhan Wani, the poster boy of homegrown militancy in the Valley. Burhan was killed on July 8, 2016 in a gunfight in Kokernag area of Anantnag district.

On June 8, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant was killed in an encounter in Anantnag district, part of the volatile South Kashmir region where militancy continues to thrive. Since the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 jawans were killed, the Army, CRPF and J&K police has turned the heat on militants by launching a rigorous operation to sanitise the Valley.

Over 80 militants have been killed since February 14, including top commanders of Jaish-e-Mohammed, the organisation which carried out the attack in Pulwama.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 11, 2019 08:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).