The spokesman said troops guarding the Line of Control in the Sadhna sector noticed a group of terrorists sneaking into the Indian side from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir earlier this week.

When challenged and asked to surrender, the heavily armed terrorists opened fire and also threw grenades.

Troops also retaliated and killed two militants on the first day. One JCO also lost his life, he said.

The spokesman said on the second day, six more terrorists were gunned down. He said search operations were extended to other areas in the in the nearby forests.

An encounter took place again in which three more terrorists were killed.Five soldiers, including two JCOs also laid down their lives, he said adding operations were still going on when the reports last came in.

This was for the first time that such large number of terrorists have sneaked into the Indian side from POK in three years. However, he said, in the past a group of five to six terrorists have been infiltrating through this route.