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Foiling yet another infiltration bid by terrorists along the Line of Control [Images], army troops on Saturday shot dead a Pakistani terrorist in a gunbattle in Poonch district and forced others to flee back.

Giving details of the infiltration attempt, a senior army officer said that a group of five terrorists entered the Indian territory in forward post of Sabra Gali area along the LoC in Poonch district around 0150 hours.

The troops, who noticed the infiltration movement through thermal imagers, cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. The terrorists then opened fired on the troops, resulting in a gun battle, he said, adding that one Pakistani terrorist was killed and others managed to escape back.

The slain terrorist, identified as Mohammad Sarwar, hailed from Rahd area in Pakistan. One AK rifle, three magazines and some explosive materials have been recovered, he said, adding that searches are going on in the area.

This is the fifth infiltration bid in the last two weeks and seventh in the last over three weeks along the Indo-Pak border in the state.

On October 9, troops foiled an infiltration bid in Keri sector of Rajouri district and a jawan was killed in a gunbattle. BSF troops on October 3 had foiled an infiltration bid under the cover of fire from the Pakistani side and killed an infiltrator along the Indo-Pak border in Jammu's Kunara Tana Khurd area.

Troops also foiled an infiltration bid on October 1 along the International Border in Jammu's Kanachak sub-sector.

Over 128 infiltration bids were reported in nine months from Pakistan, in which over 71 terrorists have been killed. There is an increase in infiltration attempts across the international border and LoC. The reason could be the US pressure on militants in Pakistan's western frontiers.

Also, they want to infiltrate in large numbers before the state assembly election, he said.