While the four newly recruited terrorists surrendered. The three Al-Badr terrorists deserted the new recruits and fled under the cover of fire

Srinagar: Four militants, being trained by an Al-Qaeda affiliated group, surrendered before security forces on Sunday after an operation was launched to stop them from ex-filtrating across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. The men were newly recruited by the terror outfit.

"On receipt of credible information about four newly recruited terrorists being guided by three terrorists of Al-Badr for a planned ex-filtration, the Army in a joint operation with police, laid an ambush and trapped the terrorists in upper reaches of Kalaroos in Handwara," Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said here.

He said that after a brief gunfight, "extreme restraint was exercised and opportunity given to the terrorists to surrender".

"While the four newly recruited terrorists surrendered. The three Al-Badr terrorists deserted the new recruits and fled under the cover of fire," Col Kalia said, adding war-like stores were recovered from their possession.

The search is on to trace the other militants, the spokesman said.