Jammu: The northern army commander Lt General Upendra Dwivedi Friday said that slain militants in Rajouri encounter seems have been trained in Afghanistan and other countries and their killing was a major setback to “terrorism and its eco-system” in Rajouri-Poonch area.

Talking to reporters on the side-lines of a wreath laying ceremony of fallen soldiers including two captains in Jammu, the northern army commander Lt General Upendra Dwivedi said that the two slain terrorists were highly trained. “It seems that they were trained in Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries,” he said .

He said that the supreme sacrifices made by five army soldiers including two captains has raised the morale of troops and all are committed to eliminate the terrorists from the J&K soil.

Asked about the number of terrorists active in Peer Panjal range, the army officer said that killing of two highly trained terrorists in Rajouri gunfight has resulted in a major setback to terror and its ecosystem in the region. “The number of terrorists operating in the area may vary as Poonch and Rajouri are connected with the highway. At least 20 to 25 terrorists are still operating in the area and with the help of active support of police and human intelligence, we will be able to root out the terrorism within a year from the region,” he said. On Thursday, the army killed two terrorists in the Rajouri encounter and identified one of the slain as the top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Qari of Pakistan. The army said slain Qari was an IED expert anda sniper trained to hide in caves and forests.

Meanwhile, LG Manoj Sinha and DGP RR Swain paid floral tributes to the fallen soldiers—(KNO)

Reader correspondent