As encounters between security forces and a group terrorists are ongoing on in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district for the last eight days, sources in police and army told NDTV that the infiltrators were likely trained by Pakistani commandos.
Since the start of the encounters, nine soldiers, including two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) were killed in the line of duty. It is believed to be one of the most deadly encounters in J&K in the recent years.
Since no bodies of terrorists were found, it is unclear if any of them have been killed.
Given that the terrorists inflicted casualties and evaded security forces suggests that they were trained by commandos of Pakistani military, the report said.
Five Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO), laid down their lives in a fierce gunfight during a counter-insurgency operation in Surankote forest last week. Four soldiers, including another JCO, died in another encounter in the Mendhar sector.
So far, contact with hiding terrorists was established thrice -- first on October 11 in Poonch's Surankote which was followed by another exchange of fire between the security forces and the fleeing terrorists in the adjoining Thanamandi forest in Rajouri district the same day but the ultras managed their escape in both the encounters.
The third encounter took place in the Nar Khas forest in the Mendhar area of Poonch on Thursday evening last week.
(With agency inputs)
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