Jammu, April 10 (IANS) Firing resumed on Thursday between the joint security forces and the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district.

Officials said that fresh firing started between the security forces and the terrorists in the Joffar area of the district this morning. The encounter had broken out on Wednesday.

Joint forces had strengthened the cordon around the encounter site during the night to ensure that the terrorists were prevented from escaping under the cover of darkness.

Reports said that a local confirmed to security forces that three terrorists dressed in black had entered his house around 8 p.m. Wednesday and left around 11.30 p.m. when the security forces started the operation against them. A gunfight had later started between joint forces, and the terrorists in Joffar are falling under the jurisdiction of the Ramnagar police station.

“As the teams of police and the security forces moved in, they were fired upon by the terrorists triggering an encounter, which is now going on,” the officials said.

It must be mentioned that on March 23, an encounter took place in Sanyal village of Kathua district, barely 4 km inside the International Border.

The encounter spread to Safiyan Jakhole village, where two terrorists were killed, and four policemen died.

The joint forces extended the area under the ‘seek and destroy’ operation to higher reaches of the Kathua and Rajouri districts. There was a brief exchange of gunfire between the forces and the terrorists in the Billawar area of the Kathua district.

Reports said five terrorists had infiltrated into the Indian side of the International Border, and the same group was engaged in a gunfight in Sanyal and Safiyan Jakhole villages. Two terrorists were killed in the Safiyan Jakhole area.

Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the security review meeting in Srinagar. He gave clear orders to eradicate terrorism and restore complete peace in the union territory.