The seizure of the American rifle, the senior official said, again establishes a link between the terror group and elements within the Pakistan Army and its special forces.

A US-made M4 rifle used by Pakistani army has been seized by security forces after the early morning encounter with two top Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district on Friday, a top security official said.

Two key Jaish operatives, suspected to be Pakistani nationals, were killed in Friday’s gun battle that erupted during a cordon and search operation by security forces.

The operation was part of the crackdown by the security establishment after the February 14 Pulwama bombing that killed 40 CRPF soldiers and was followed by the Indian Air Force air strike at a massive Jaish camp in Balakot across the border.

In the last 24 hours alone, 6 top terrorists have been killed and a seventh, arrested in Jammu and Kashmir. More than 30 operatives have been killed in operations after the Pulwama attack, most of them are linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The seizure of the American rifle, the senior official cited above said, again establishes a link between the terror group and elements within the Pakistan Army and its Special Forces.

This is the second M4 carbine seized in the Kashmir valley in the last six months. Last year, security forces had found a similar American rifle on Usman Haider, Jaish chief Masood Azhar’s nephew. Haider, who was claimed by the terror group to have led sniper attacks in Kashmir, was among the three terrorists killed in the 31 October 2017 gunfight.

The first occasion when security forces found an M4 carbine from a terrorist in Kashmir was in September 2017 when security forces found the US-made firearm after the encounter involving another nephew of Masood Azhar, Talha Rashid.