Jammu: Two more army personnel were killed during a counter-terrorist operation in Mendhar in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. The army toll in the operation has now risen to 9.

Two more Army personnel were killed during a counter-terrorist operation in Mendhar in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. Their bodies were recovered on Saturday evening. The Army toll in the operation that began on Monday has now risen to 9.

Subedar Ajay Singh and Naik Harendra Singh were killed during a search operation being conducted by the Indian Army along with the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the densely forested area of Nar Khas forest in Mendhar. The objective of the operation was to flush out terrorists hiding in the forested area.

On October 14, after a firefight between security forces and terrorists, communication with Ajay Singh and Harendra Singh was disrupted. The operation to neutralise the terrorists as well as re-establish communication with the missing soldiers carried on.

However, the two soldiers were killed in the firefight and their bodies have now been recovered. The operation in the area is still underway.

On Friday, officials informed that two Army personnel had been killed in an encounter with terrorists in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. The two were identified as riflemen Vikram Singh Negi (26) and Yogambar Singh (27).

Before that, on Monday, five Indian Army soldiers were killed in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Among the deceased were four jawans and one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO).

The five were identified as Naib Subedar (JCO) Jaswinder Singh, a recipient of Sena Medal, Naik Mandeep Singh and Sepoys Gajjan Singh, Saraj Singh and Vaisakh H.