RAJOURI, NOVEMBER 6: Security forces on Saturday closed the Thanamandi-Rajouri road for vehicular traffic and launched massive cordon and search operation in the forests of Khablan and nearby villages.
Sources said this followed reports about the sighting of militants in the area. Additional security forces have been rushed to the area.
Significantly, the area is adjoining Dehra Ki Gali where security forces had lost five jawans including a JCO in firing by militants in Chamrel forests on the morning of October 11 this year.
Since then, the forces have been searching the forests falling between Thanamandi-DKG-Bufliaz and Bhimber Gali-Surankote-Poonch road. On October 14, four security forces personnel including a JCO were killed in encounter with militants.
The militants believed to be 5-7 in numbers, according to senior police officers, are part of the groups that had infiltrated into the Union Territory from across the LoC through Rajouri-Poonch districts.
Three militants were killed in Rajouri district’s Pangai area along the Mughal Road by police in Rajouri district on August 6 and 19.