Two suspected militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday. The police said the encounter broke out in Saimoh area of Tral, a town in Pulwama.

A joint team of the police, the Army and the Central Reserve Police Force launched a cordon-and-search-operation in the area after inputs about the presence of militants, according to Greater Kashmir.

A gunfight broke out when militants hiding in the area fired upon the security forces and they retaliated. “Joint operation launched on June 2 on specific intel,” the Army said in a statement, according to the newspaper. “Cordon laid. Contact established early morning. Announcements made for militants to surrender. Firefight ensued. One militant killed. Operation in progress.”

The Kashmir Zone Police later in the day said that the operation had ended and one more suspected militant was killed. The police recovered arms and ammunition from the site.

On Monday, the Army had killed three suspected militants in a counter-infiltration operation that had begun on May 28, along the Line of Control in Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district. The group had reportedly tried to cross over from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir early on Monday but were intercepted by security forces near Kalal village, triggering a gunfight.

Last week, security forces in Jammu and Kashmir said they had averted a major car bomb attack after they detected a vehicle carrying 40 kg of improvised explosive device in Pulwama district.

There has been a rise in terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir over the last two months. At least 30 security personnel, including officers, have died. During this period, 38 militants have also been shot dead by security forces.

On May 6, Indian security forces killed Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo, in the Beighpora area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The police have said that Naikoo was the mastermind behind the revival of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit in Jammu and Kashmir.