Two groups of militants have been encircled by security forces at two separate locations in the Kashmir valley on Saturday, triggering fierce firefights.
One group of militants, believed to consist of two to three persons, was encircled during a search operation in Pulwama’s Naira area in the evening.
“An encounter (with the militants) has started at Naira area of Pulwama. The police and the security forces are on the job,” a police spokesman said.
The security forces have installed flash flights at the encounter site to ensure the trapped militants are not able to escape under cover of darkness.
Another group of militants was encircled in central Kashmir’s Budgam. The number of militants trapped could not be confirmed by the police.
“An encounter has started at Charar-i-Sharief area of Budgam,” the police said.
Sixteen militants have been killed in Kashmir in multiple anti-militancy operations in January so far.
