Two Garud commandos of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and equal number of terrorists of Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT), were killed in an encounter at Hajin in the Bandipura district on Wednesday morning. One of the killed terrorists was a Pakistani national and was operating in J-K.

The martyred IAF personnel were operating with the Army for operational experience and training. They have been identified as Sergant K Milind Kishor (33) of Nashik in Maharashtra and Corporal Nilesh Kumar Nayan (31) of district Bhagalpur in Bihar.

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The two slain terrorists involved in several killings of innocent people have been identified as Abu Mas of Pakistan and Nasarullah Mir, a local terrorist. Abu was involved in killing of a BSF jawan.

The encounter began when terrorists opened fire at a joint team of 13 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of the Army, CRPF and the Special Operation Group (SOG) of the J-K Police while the area was being cordoned in the Paribal village of Hajin.

Two IAF commandos lost their life in the encounter and two other Army jawans were injured. The injured soldiers were airlifted to the military hospital in Srinagar for treatment.

The state DGP SP Vaid said that the terrorists belonged to the LeT.

Army spokesman, Colonel Rajesh Kalia, said that as the troops were closing in, the hiding terrorists fired upon them at about 5am as a result of which two IAF personnel were martyred in the action and two jawans were injured.

Internet services in the district were suspended as a precautionary measure.