Srinagar, Sep 8 : A gunfight started on Monday between the security forces and the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's (J&K) Kulgam district. Officials said that following information about the presence of terrorists, joint teams of the security forces started a CASO (Cordon and Search Operation) in Gudar forest area.

'As the joint forces came closer, hiding terrorists opened fire after which an encounter started. Till last reports came in firing was going on in the area', officials said.

Joint forces have started aggressive anti-terrorist operations in J&K and these operations are targeted against the terrorists, their over ground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers.

Security forces believe that in order to dismantle the ecosystem of terror in the UT, the focus should not merely be on elimination of the gun-wielding terrorist, but also those helping to sustain terrorism.

After 'Operation Sindoor' was suspended, there have been attempts by the terrorists to infiltrate into J&K from the Pakistani side of the Line of Control (LoC).

J&K has a 740-Km-long LoC which is guarded by the Army. In addition to the LoC, there is nearly a 240-Km-long International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts that is also guarded by the BSF.

With the help of Pakistan, terrorist outfits have been using drones especially along the International Border to drop weapons, drugs and cash on the Indian side for the terrorists.

The BSF has been using special anti-drone technology to ensure that the handlers of terrorism sitting in Pakistan are prevented from using drones to sustain terrorism in J&K.

Drug smugglers and drug peddlers are also under the radar of the security forces since it is believed that the funds generated by drug smuggling and hawala money rackets are ultimately used to sustain terrorism.

In the majority of such cases, the roots of drug smuggling and hawala money rackets have been traced to Pakistan and the handlers of terror operatives based there.

/IANS