An encounter breaks out between Security Forces and Terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama

An exchange of fire broke out in the wee hours of Saturday between terrorists and a joint team of security forces in Panzgam village of Awantipora in South Kashmir's Pulwama district.

More details are awaited.

Earlier, in a big victory to the Indian Armed forces, the top commander of terror group Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK), Ishaq Sofi was gunned down in an encounter in J&K's Shopian district. As per reports, Sofi who has been a wanted terrorist was gunned down in Amshipura in the Shopian district during the early hours on Friday morning . The army has reportedly recovered bombs stashed in the Sofi's hideout and the body of the gunned terrorist was recovered too.

WATCH: In A Big Win For The Army, ISJK's Top Commander Ishaq Sofi Gunned Down In J&K's Shopian District

This news came in a week after all the terrorists affiliated with the proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen-led by Burhan Wani had been neutralised in the Kashmir Valley in J&K on last Friday. Jammu and Kashmir Police and the security forces had carried out a cordon and search operation (CASO) in the Adkhara Village in Imam Sahab area of the Shopian district, based on credible inputs which resulted in a heavy exchange of firing took place between terrorists and the search party of the forces for over seven hours.

"In the ensuing encounter, three terrorists were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. The three killed terrorists have been identified as Lateef Ahmad Dar alias Tiger of Dogripora Pulwama, Tariq Ahmad Sheikh alias Mufti Waqas of Moolu Chitragam Shopian and Shariq Ahmad Nengroo of Chotigam Shopian," the offical statement of the J&K police said.