Srinagar, Nov 17 (PTI) Five Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists were killed on Friday following an overnight encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

'The bodies of the slain terrorists have been retrieved and the area is being sanitised,” Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, V K Birdi told PTI after the 18-hour gunfight in Kulgam district ended.

Birdi said the bodies of the slain terrorists were located through drone footage.

Security forces had launched a cordon-and-search operation in Nehama village of Kulgam following information about the presence of terrorists in the area on Thursday, the officials said.

The search operation turned into a gun battle as the terrorists opened fire towards the security personnel, they added.

While the security forces maintained a tight cordon around the area where the ultras are trapped, the operation was suspended overnight, the officials said.

Gunshots were exchanged early Friday after a night-long lull at Samno in Nehama area of Kulgam, officials said.

The house where the terrorists were hiding caught fire in the exchange of fire this morning, forcing the militants to come out.

The slain terrorists were identified as Sameer Ahmad Sheikh (PAFF), Yasir Bilal Bhat, Danish Ahmad Thokar, Hanzullah Yaqoob Shah and Ubaid Ahmad Padder (all TRF). While Sheikh had joined the militant ranks in 2021, the others had joined last year or this year.

According to the security officials, both PAFF and TRF are shadow outfits of the Lashkar. PTI MIJ MIJ DV DV