Sopore encounter: Defence Experts appreciate Army's 'offensive mode'

Lauding the Indian Army's swift action in neutralizing two terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore district, the defence experts on Thursday said this offensive mode of the security forces will help in flushing out terrorists from the Valley.

Defence expert P.K. Sehgal said it was a huge achievement for the forces to gun down the terrorists despite the strong support provided by the locals to these terrorists in Sopore.

"Sopore has people who are by and large sympathetic towards Pakistan. They provide terrorists both safe haven as well as logistics support. To that extent, flushing them out is a huge achievement for the security forces. It is apparent that we have been able to take them out despite locals giving them all kind of support," Sehgal told ANI.

Sehgal reiterated that the offensive mode of the Army has helped in successfully achieving such operations.

"Recently, the Indian Army has gone on offensive. Across Kashmir, operations have been launched to flush out terrorists, both foreign as well as indigenous. On a specific intelligence, last night around 2.45 a.m., an encounter began between the RR and police on the one side, and the terrorists on the others. As per latest news, two have been gunned down," he added.

Resonating similar sentiments, another defence expert Sunil Deshpande owed the success to good intelligence.

"This is the outcome of good intelligence by our Army. The terrorists are hiding in the Valley, and what is needed is a good intelligence network because of which we can secure information and take action. Hereafter, our forces will have to be very vigilant," he said.

Two terrorists were killed in the Sopore encounter that started in Nathi Pora area of Jammu and Kashmir late last night.

It was a joint operation by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and police.

Two AK-47, five magazines, 107 live rounds, two pouches, Rs. 2,000 in cash, two rubber stamps and paraphernalia have been recovered from the two slained terrorists.