Jammu, Jan 30 (IANS): Alert troops detected terrorist movement along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Khari Karmara area of J&K’s Poonch district on Thursday after which a firing exchange broke out between the soldiers and the terrorists and is still on, the Army said.

"Terrorist movement detected in Poonch sector along the Line of control. Alert troops opened fire leading to a heavy exchange of fire. Operations are underway," the Nagrota-headquartered White Knight Corps said on its official X post handle.

Defence sources said two terrorists have been killed in this encounter so far, but official confirmation is still awaited.

Security forces have been maintaining high vigil in the hinterland while the army is maintaining 24X7 vigil on the LoC to ensure that the terrorists do not sneak into the Indian side of the LoC to disturb peace and tranquillity in J&K.

On Wednesday, security forces carried out massive searches in 25 locations in the Rajouri district in an anti-terrorist operation to trace over ground workers (OGWs) of terrorists. Searches were also started by joint forces in the Doda district today after locals reported the movement of some suspicious persons in those areas.

Heightened vigil is being maintained in addition to the aggressive pursuit of terrorists by the security forces after the terrorists carried out some dastardly attacks towards the last quarter of last year.

On October 20, 2024, terrorists killed seven people, including six non-local workers of an infrastructure company and a local doctor in the Gagangir area of the Ganderbal district. On October 24 last year, terrorists ambushed an army vehicle in the Botapathri area of Gulmarg, killing three soldiers and two civilian porters. On November 2 last year, terrorists hurled a grenade at the busy Sunday market near the tourist reception centre (TRC) in Srinagar. A 42-year-old mother of three children was killed and 11 other civilians were injured in that grenade attack.