<p>Two unidentified militants and their ‘associate’ were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday, police said.</p>.<p>A police official said on ‘specific input’ about the presence of militants, a cordon-and-search-operation (CASO) was launched in Goripora area of Awantipora, 30 km from here, early Saturday morning, by joint team of Army’s 50 Rashtriya Rifles and J&K Police.</p>.<p>During the searches, the hiding militants fired upon security forces, which was retaliated, triggering an encounter, he said.</p>.<p>Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said that two unidentified militants and one ‘hardcore associate of terrorists’ were killed in the gunfight. He did not divulge further details.</p>.<p>Pertinently, this was the second encounter in south Kashmir in the last 24 hours. On Friday evening, two militants were killed and a policeman received injuries in a brief shootout in Kharpora-Arwani area of Anantnag district while police said an abducted cop was rescued during the operation.</p>.<p>After the outbreak of COVID-19, at least 20 militants have been killed in Kashmir. This includes five militants who were killed in a fierce gunfight in the Keran sector along the Line of Control, in which five Army soldiers also lost their lives.</p>
<p>Two unidentified militants and their ‘associate’ were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday, police said.</p>.<p>A police official said on ‘specific input’ about the presence of militants, a cordon-and-search-operation (CASO) was launched in Goripora area of Awantipora, 30 km from here, early Saturday morning, by joint team of Army’s 50 Rashtriya Rifles and J&K Police.</p>.<p>During the searches, the hiding militants fired upon security forces, which was retaliated, triggering an encounter, he said.</p>.<p>Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said that two unidentified militants and one ‘hardcore associate of terrorists’ were killed in the gunfight. He did not divulge further details.</p>.<p>Pertinently, this was the second encounter in south Kashmir in the last 24 hours. On Friday evening, two militants were killed and a policeman received injuries in a brief shootout in Kharpora-Arwani area of Anantnag district while police said an abducted cop was rescued during the operation.</p>.<p>After the outbreak of COVID-19, at least 20 militants have been killed in Kashmir. This includes five militants who were killed in a fierce gunfight in the Keran sector along the Line of Control, in which five Army soldiers also lost their lives.</p>