Jammu: Security forces engaged a group of terrorists in a gun battle on Saturday in the Watergam area of Sopore, Kashmir, after they were fired upon. The forces have cordoned off the area, and the operation is in progress.

The Chinar Corps of the Indian Army shared on X (formerly Twitter), "Consequent to specific intelligence about the area, a joint team of the Indian Army and Jammu & Kashmir Police was fired upon by terrorists in the Watergam area of Sopore. Vigilant troops swiftly responded, and a firefight has ensued. The operation is in progress."

More details are awaited.

Recently, there has been a surge in terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier this week, a paramilitary officer from the CRPF was martyred when terrorists fired upon a patrol party. Army officer Captain Deepak Singh was killed in action on August 14 during an encounter between terrorists and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda.

Amid rising cases of terrorism in Jammu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while chairing a high-level meeting on August 17, directed security agencies to implement area domination and zero-terror plans in the Jammu division, similar to those employed in Kashmir, to achieve success.

Shah presided over the high-level meeting at the North Block, three days after Prime Minister Modi held a similar meeting where he directed officials to deploy the "full spectrum of counter-terror capabilities" following a spate of terror incidents, including an attack on a bus carrying pilgrims in the Reasi district of the Jammu region.

Since June 9, there have been terror strikes at four locations in Reasi, Kathua, and Doda, resulting in the deaths of nine pilgrims, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Jawan, and injuries to at least seven security personnel. Terrorists struck at four locations in Reasi, Kathua, and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir over four days, killing nine pilgrims and a CRPF Jawan, and leaving seven security personnel and several others injured.

Two suspected Pakistani terrorists were also killed in an encounter with security forces in Kathua district, and a significant quantity of arms and ammunition was recovered from them.

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