The search operation for two local terrorists affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district has reached its third day. The operation, initiated to locate the LeT militants hiding in fruit orchards in Saidpora village, resumed on Monday after a temporary halt.
Security forces, including the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and Central Reserve Police Force, have encircled the area where the two LeT terrorists, identified as Latif and Zakir, are trapped. The militants engaged in a gunfight with the Army personnel after being spotted in an orchard in the Meemandar area.
Efforts to prevent the terrorists from escaping have been intensified, with the deployment of additional personnel by the Army’s Victor Force to block potential exit routes through the dense foliage. The region’s thick vegetation during summer poses challenges for surveillance, offering militants cover to evade detection and break cordons.
The trapped terrorists, residents of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, have links to the LeT, with Zakir associated since 2024 and Latif joining the group last year. Shopian district, known for its apple orchards and rugged terrain, has been a key area for LeT and The Resistance Front (TRF) activities, serving as a passage between south Kashmir and the Pir Panjal range.
