The operation to flush out militants from the dense forest area in Anantnag district entered into its fourth day as drones and helicopters were pressed into service to track and neutralise the ultras who killed three security forces officers, officials said on Saturday. Security forces deployed drones and helicopters to surveil the hilly terrain and figure out the locations of the militants in the forests at Gadole in the Kokernag area of the south Kashmir district, officials said.

As the assault was resumed on Saturday morning – the fourth day of the gunfight – the security forces fired several mortar shells towards the forest, they said.

Drone footage showed a militant running for cover after a cave-like hideout was hit by shells fired by security forces on Friday.

Additional Director General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar late Friday night said the operation was launched on the basis of specific input and claimed “two to three trapped terrorists will be neutralised.”

Major Ashish Dhonchak, 19 Rashtriya Rifles Commanding Officer Col Manpreet Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat, and a soldier were killed in the encounter with the militants on Wednesday.