Jammu, Aug 6 : An encounter is underway between the security forces and a group of terrorists in J&K's Udhampur district on Tuesday, officials said.

Officials said that an encounter between the security forces and the terrorists began in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur.

'After specific input was gleaned regarding movement in the area, a SADO (Search and Destroy Operation) was launched in the wee hours today by our parties; contact has been established with a group of terrorists in Khaned area of PS Basantgarh. Ops underway", DIG, Udhampur-Reasi, Rayees Mohammad Bhat, said in a post on X.

Udhampur is one of the mountainous districts of the Jammu division where foreign terrorists have been reported to be hiding in the dense forests.

In order to eradicate terrorism from the hilly districts of the Jammu division including Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kathua, Reasi and Udhampur districts, the army has deployed over 4,000 soldiers, including elite Para commandos and those trained in mountain warfare. The terrorists hiding in the dense forests of these districts have carried out hit-and-run attacks against the army, paramilitary forces, and civilians.

The entire anti-terrorism strategy was revisited at the high-level security meetings chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Police has detained around 40 people on suspicion of having harboured, helped or acted as guides for the terrorists. Two of these detained suspects have confessed to having accompanied the terrorists when they carried out ambush attacks in the Doda area. The security forces are aggressively carrying out operations in these districts to target the terrorists, their over ground workers (OGWs), sympathisers, and harbourers.

/IANS