The terrorists fired on troops and in the retaliatory firing, four terrorists were killed. According to army officials, war-like stores were recovered from the possession of the slain terrorists

SRINAGAR: Four heavily armed terrorists were killed and nine AK rifles were seized from them as troops foiled an infiltration bid in Machil sector of the border district of Kupwara in J&K on Friday.

It was the second major infiltration bid foiled by troops within a week. An army official said during the intervening night of June 22 and 23, suspicious movement was detected in Kala Jungle along the Line of Control in Machil sector of Kupwara. An ambush plan was laid out by the Army and at 4.30 am troops engaged a group of terrorists crossing the LoC.

The terrorists fired from the automatic AK-47 rifles and the Army men effectively retaliated and in the ensuing firefight, the four terrorists were killed whereas no casualties or injuries were reported from the Army side. The official said during the search of the area, a huge cache of arms and ammunition including nine AK rifles, three pistols, four grenades, 288 AK and pistol rounds, 55 suspected narco packets and other huge quantities of war-like stores were recovered. “This recovery indicates the vicious plan of Pakistan by utilising the terrorists to derail the existing peace in the Valley. The successful operation is a big blow to the narco-funding and terror plans of the terrorists,” he said.

Earlier, last Friday, Army had foiled an infiltration bid of terrorists in the Keran sector by killing five heavily armed foreign terrorists and recovering 5 AK rifles, 15 magazines, ammunition, grenades, night vision devices and binoculars from their possession. ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that the group affiliated to JK Ghaznavi Force, with Rafiq Nai and Shamsher Nai alias Zafar Iqbal (residents of Poonch but now settled in PoK) as handlers.