Shopain encounter: Two JeM terrorists killed, combing operations underway

Two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists were gunned down by security forces on Wednesday during an encounter in Memander area of Shopain district in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

The encounter, which broke out between the security forces and terrorists in the wee hours of Wednesday in Sophian, has ended and security forces have begun the combing operations in the area.

The encounter comes a day after India carried out air strikes at a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) camp in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on Tuesday said Indian Air Force has eliminated a "large number" of terrorists, including top commanders, during multiple air strikes in the terror launch pads.

The terror camp in a thick forest area atop a hill was led by Ustad Gauri, brother-in-law of JeM chief Masood Azhar, Gokhale said, making a statement before the media, hours after the air strikes using Mirage 2000 were carried out.

In retaliation, Pakistan reportedly violated ceasefire in a number of places along the LoC. Heavy shelling was also reported in the region.

On February 24, the three Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists were killed in an encounter in Kulgam, said the Jammu and Kashmir Police.