A joint team of security forces continued to hunt down the group of foreign terrorists for the second day in succession in the Ahlan Gagar-Mandu forest area of Anantnag district to avenge the supreme sacrifice of their fellow soldiers.

Two soldiers sacrificed their lives in the firefight on Saturday while one critically injured civilian succumbed to his injuries during treatment on Sunday.

Despite carrying out massive searches, at an altitude of over 10,000 feet, the security forces could not track down the footprints of a group of battle-hardened Pakistani terrorists. 

It is also suspected the foreign terrorists may have once again breached the tight cordon taking advantage of the thick foliage and inclement weather conditions prevailing in the area.

The soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice have been identified as Hav Dipak Kumar Yadav  and L/Nk Praveen Sharma.

In a post on X, the Indian Army spokesman said, the Indian Army offers deepest condolences and stands firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief.

“General Upendra Dwivedi COAS and All Ranks of the Indian Army salute the supreme Sacrifice of Bravehearts Hav Dipak Kumar Yadav & L/Nk Praveen Sharma, who laid down their lives in the line of duty, in Anantnag, J&K”.

Meanwhile, Inspector General (IG) of Kashmir VK Birdi who visited the encounter site told reporters on Sunday that the operation that began a day ago is underway in the upper reaches of Gagar-Mandu area of Kokernag in  Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.

“Security forces had information regarding the movement of terrorists in the upper reaches.

A search operation was being conducted in the Gagar-Mandu area. Security forces spotted the movement of terrorists and there was an exchange of fire between the security forces and terrorists…Operation is underway…,” IG Birdi told reporters. 

He said the civilian killed in the encounter has been identified as Abdul Rashid Dar.

Giving details of the current operation, a Srinagar-based defence spokesperson said that on August 5, it was confirmed through human and electronic means that terrorists responsible for atrocities in the Doda region in July have sneaked across the Kishtwar range into the Kapran-Garol area in south Kashmir.

“The Rashtriya Rifles and the  Jammu and Kashmir Police have relentlessly tracked these terrorists and precise operations were launched on the night of August 9 and 10 in the mountains in the east of Kapran where these terrorists were reportedly holed up.

“Suspicious movement was observed at around 2 pm on August 10. Challenging (by security forces) was immediately responded to by indiscriminate, desperate, and reckless firing from terrorists in which two Army personnel and two civilians in the vicinity were injured,” the spokesperson said.

He said the terror antecedents of the injured civilians are being ascertained.

“The area is at an altitude of above 10,000 feet, has thick undergrowth, large boulders, nallahs and re-entrants that pose a serious challenge to operations. Security forces are moving deliberately and are in the process of hunting down the terrorists,” the spokesperson said.