2 terrorists killed in encounter as army foils infiltration bid along Line of Control

The operation is still in progress.

The Army on Thursday killed two terrorists in north Kashmir’s Gurez sector while foiling yet another infiltration attempt along the Line of Control (LoC), continuing a spurt of such bids in recent weeks.

According to the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, the operation was launched jointly by the Indian Army and Jammu & Kashmir Police following specific intelligence inputs.

“Based on intelligence provided by JKP regarding a likely infiltration attempt, a joint operation was launched in Gurez Sector. Alert troops spotted suspicious activity and challenged, which resulted in terrorists opening indiscriminate fire. Troops responded with effective fire, neutralising two terrorists,” the Army wrote on social media platform X.

The latest gunfight came barely a day after security forces foiled another infiltration attempt in the same sector on Wednesday. Earlier this month, on August 13, Havildar Ankit Kumar was killed while thwarting an infiltration bid in Uri sector of Baramulla district.

Security officials say multiple infiltration attempts have been reported this summer, particularly from Gurez, Uri and Kupwara sectors. These come even as militant numbers inside the Valley have fallen significantly compared to the past.

“Pakistan-based groups are desperate to push in fresh cadres to replenish the depleting militant ranks in Kashmir. The recent spurt in infiltration attempts is directly linked to the sharp decline in local militant recruitment,” a senior police officer said.

Figures compiled by security agencies suggest that local recruitment into militancy has hit a historic low. From nearly 200 local youth picking up guns in 2018 to just one in 2025, militant recruitment in Jammu and Kashmir has undergone a dramatic transformation — the steepest decline in more than three decades of conflict.

Officials attribute this decline to a combination of factors, including intensified counter-insurgency operations, sustained outreach to families, and a tightening of the cross-border terror pipeline.

“The life expectancy of a local recruit has drastically reduced. Families are also discouraging their children from taking this path, which has created a vacuum that Pakistan is now trying to fill by pushing in more foreign terrorists,” the officer added.

Despite the overall dip in militant presence, the Army has remained on high alert along the LoC. Officials say the rugged terrain of Gurez in Bandipora, Uri in Baramulla and Karnah in Kupwara makes them vulnerable to infiltration attempts, particularly before winter snows block the mountain passes.