In South Kashmir, six militants killed in two overnight encounters

Six Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants were killed in two separate confrontations in south Kashmir on Wednesday evening, police said. Two of the militants were from Pakistan. In the simultaneous gunfights, a police officer and two troops were also injured.

Four of the six extremists killed, according to police, have been identified. "Six terrorists of proscribed terror outfit JeM killed in two separate encounters. Four among the killed terrorists have been identified so far as two Pakistani and two local terrorists. Identification of the other two terrorists is being ascertained. A big success for us," the police quoted inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar as saying.

After getting information regarding the presence of terrorists in Nowgam hamlet in Dooru Shahabad in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, a joint team of J-K Police, Army, and paramilitary forces sealed off the village on Wednesday evening.

The militants sheltering in the village launched indiscriminate fire and attempted to break the security cordon as the unified team of soldiers tightened the barrier. A police officer and two soldiers were hurt in the militants' opening barrage of gunfire.

However, the militants were unable to break the cordon, resulting in a firefight. Three extremists were killed as a result of the gunfight.

While the gunfire in Nowgam continued, another gunfight erupted in Kulgam district, south Kashmir, after a joint team of forces sealed off Mirhama hamlet in response to reports of terrorists.

Militants opened fire as the joint team of forces was zeroing in on the objective. Three militants were killed, according to police, after the military fired back.

In the previous week, military operations against militants in south Kashmir have exploded, resulting in gunfights. Five militants were killed in three different gunfights on Sunday in the Shopian, Pulwama, and Anantnag districts of south Kashmir. According to police sources, the increase in gunfights is due to changing weather and snow in the valley's upper reaches.

"Usually, there is an increase in the gunfights at this point of the year," said a senior police officer. "As it snows in the higher reaches and the temperature plummets, the militants abandon their hideouts in forests for the winters and return to the villages. This leads to more information gathering and more gunfights. "