Srinagar, Mar 17 (UNI) Security forces shot dead an unidentified militant in an encounter in Handwara sub district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, an officials said.



This is the first militant killing in Kashmir this year.



The gunbattle erupted this morning between militants and security forces at Krumhoora Zachaldara forest area during a cordon and a search operation which was launched by joint forces following an input about militant presence in the area.



“Body of a terrorist with arms and ammunition has been retrieved. The operation has concluded,” a senior police officer said.



The identity and the group affiliation of the slain could not be established.



This was the first encounter in nearly two months in Kashmir.

The last gunfight took place on January 20-21 in north Kashmir’s Sopore sub-district, where a soldier was killed. The militants, however, had managed to escape from the area.



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