Two terrorists were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday morning, following an encounter that had started the previous evening.

The Army’s Chinar Corps confirmed the development in a post on X, stating, "One terrorist has been neutralised by the security forces so far. Operation continues."

Officials said a joint team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army and the Central Reserve Police Force launched a cordon and search operation on Friday in the Akhal forest area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. A police official told news agency PTI that the operation was initiated based on specific intelligence inputs about the movement and presence of terrorists in the region.

According to the official, the search operation escalated into a gun battle after the terrorists who were hiding in the area opened fire at the security personnel. The forces responded with retaliatory firing, and the exchange of gunfire continued into the next day.

On Saturday morning, fresh firing resumed, and two terrorists were killed in the exchange, officials told PTI.

The coordinated effort by the security forces has been named 'Operation Akhal', and search efforts continued in the area after the encounter to ensure the zone was fully secured.