Two unidentified terrorists were killed on Saturday by security forces during a gun battle in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district, police said.

The bodies of the terrorists have been recovered from the encounter spot in Nipora area of Kulgam district, according to officials.

They said the operation, which was launched during midnight by the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the local police, is over.

Dilbag Singh, Jammu and Kashmir’s director general of police (DGP), has said that 88 terrorists have been killed this year in around 36 operations.

Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK) commander Adil Ahmad Wani and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) cadre Shaheen Ahmad Thoker were killed on May 25 at Khud Hanjipora Kulgam while Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Parvaiz Ahmad Pandith and JeM commander Shakir Ahmed Itoo were gunned down on May 30 at Wanpora Kulgam.

Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group commander Aaqib Ramzan Wani and Awanitpora JeM commander Mohammad Maqbool Chopan killed on June 2 at Saimoo Tral Awantipora.

On June 3, a top JeM explosives expert Abdul Rehman alias Fauji Bhai, a native of Rawalpindi in Pakistan, HM’s Manzoor Ahmad Kar, JeM’s Javaid Ahmad Zargar were neutralised at Kangan in Pulwama.

HM’s Ishfaq Ahmad Itoo and JeM’s Owais Ahmad Malik were killed on June 7 at Reban in Shopian. Three HM commanders—Adil Ahmad Mir, Bilal Ahmad Bhat and Sajad Ahmad Wagay—were also neutralised in the same encounter.

On June 7, HM’s Umer Mohiudin Dhobi, LeT’s Rayees Ahmad Khan along with HM’s Saqlain Ahmad Wagay and Wakeel Ahmad Naikoo were eliminated at Reban in Shopian.

Apart from Fauji Bhai, all terrorists were locals of Jammu and Kashmir and most of them hail from districts of Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama.

In addition to the 18 above terrorists, four more terrorists were neutralised in Rajouri on May 28 from a newly infiltrated group.

Three were killed along LoC in Nowshera sector and one in Kalakote who had managed to reach the area after infiltrating from across the border.