In one of the encounters in the higher reaches of Naugam, 112 kms from Srinagar, the troops cornered a group of infiltrating militants and have killed four so far.
The Corps Commander, who heads the army in Kashmir, was replying to a question about the possibility of the Islamic State forging an alliance with the militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad for expanding its activities to the valley.
For the fourth consecutive day, Monday, the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained closed for traffic in the wake of landslides at some places, even as higher reaches in Kashmir received fresh snowfall overnight.
Alamdin (14) and Shakeel Ahmed (12) had inadvertently crossed over to the Pakistan side from Kupwara border.
A police official said the curbs have been imposed to maintain law and order in view of the separatists call for a march to the three districts of Baramulla, Pulwama and Srinagar.
"My girl is just 16 years old and was alone in the police station when her statement was recorded. She was pressurised by police to give that statement," her mother claimed.
President Kalam also presented 15 Param Vishist Seva Medals, four Kirti Chakras, one bar to Ati Vishist Seva Medal, 26 AVSMs and 33 Shaurya Chakras.
An ambush party of the army killed five terrorists nearly two kilometres inside the LoC near Machil sector, sources said.
Doval was seen eating food on a footpath outside closed shops and talking to locals.
Residents of Handwara town in Kupwara district have accused Rashtriya Rifles personnel of \nraping a mother and her 12-year-old daughter.
"The army chief chief reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and also operational preparedness of Northern Command at a high-level meeting," officials said.
They detected two explosive devices at Sogam bus stand in Kupwara district and Sopore bus stand in Baramulla district, sources said.
They are being questioned about their involvement in the killing of former Home Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone last year and some suicide attacks on security forces.
An army major was killed in an accident during a cordon and search operation in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Monday.
Four militants each were shot dead in Poonch, Baramulla and Lolab, three in Kupwara and two in Udhampur, a defence spokesman said.
Six militants were killed on Friday in two encounters with the security forces in Baramulla and Kupwara districts of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said.
