Srinagar: Security forces on Wednesday gunned down two terrorists in Soothu Kothair area of central Kashmir's Srinagar district.

The encounter broke out at around 2:30 am on Wednesday when the terrorists fired upon the joint party of security forces, during a door-to-door search operation in the outskirts of Srinagar.

A joint team of police and the Army's 50RR cordoned off Soothu Kothair area, acting on a specific information about the presence of two terrorists hiding in the area.

A senior police official confirmed the killing of two terrorists in the encounter. "Two terrorists have been gunned down in a five-hour-long encounter; we are yet to ascertain their identities", he added.

Sources told MyNation that both terrorists killed are locals from south Kashmir. They joined the terror rank after security forces neutralised Burhan Wani in 2016. 

Internet services in the area have been snapped as a precautionary measure. The administration has also ordered section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the area to avoid any clashes with locals who approach the encounter site, which previously led to the killing of 7 locals in Kulgam.