Srinagar, May 4 (IANS): The two terrorists killed in an encounter in Sopore in north Kashmir on Tuesday evening were given an oppurtunity to surrender, but they refused to do that and instead fired at the security forces that trigerred the encounter, the police said.

The police said that based on a specific input provided by the Kupwara police regarding the presence of terrorists in the Nathipora area in Sopore, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police, the army and the CRPF.

During the search operation, as the presence of the terrorists got ascertained, they were given an opportunity to surrender. However, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter.

"In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter. They have been identified as local terrorist Wasim Ahmed Lone, a resident of Hatlangoo Sopore, and a foreign terrorist named Hamas alias Asrar alias Saria, who was active in north Kashmir since March 2018," the police said.

The police added that as per its records, both the slain terrorists were part of groups involved in several terror crimes, including planning and executing attacks on security establishments.

"Moreover, Hamas was also the mastermind of the Sopore terror incident along with Mudasir Pandit alias Maaz on March 29, in which two municipal councillors and a policeman were martyred," the police said.

Arms and ammunition, including one AK-47 rifle, one Insas rifle and other incriminating materials were recovered from the site of the encounter. Further search operation is in progress, the police said.

"The last rites of the killed terrorists shall be performed after conducting the medico-legal formalities and the nearest family members of the local terrorist shall be allowed to participate in the funeral," the police said.