In a major success in the anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir, security forces killed three terrorists, including a commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, in an encounter in Anantnag district this morning.

Apart from Hizbul Mujahideen commander Masood Ahmed Bhat, two terrorists were also eliminated in the operation in Khulchohar area of the south Kashmir district. Police officials say that with Masood's death, the entire Doda district in Jammu region has become totally free of terrorists as he was one of the last surviving terrorists there.

The operation was jointly launched by the Army, J&K police and CRPF. After killing of three terrorists, the army said one AK rifle and two pistols were recovered from the encounter site.

With today's operation at Khull Chohar Anantnag by Anantnag Police along with Local RR unit in which two LET terrorists including one district commander and one Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Masood are neutralised. Doda district in Jammu Zone becomes totally militancy free one again as Masood was last surviving terrorist of Doda District," J&K police chief Dilbagh Singh told.

"Masood was involved in a rape case filed by Doda police and was on the run ever since. He later joined Hizbul Mujahideen and shifted his area of operation to Kashmir," he added.

Jammu and Kashmir police had on Saturday said that 29 foreign terrorists are active in south Kashmir.

"There is a presence of foreign terrorists in the upper reaches of Kokernag, Tral and Khrew. There are about 29 foreign terrorists active in South Kashmir and we will neutralise them when they come down and our sources inform us (about them)," Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar,  was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The police officer also added that the security forces have achieved a huge success by "wiping out" Hizbul Mujahidden from Tral area of Pulwama district and the aim is to wipe out terrorism from south Kashmir.

More than hundred terrorists have been killed this year, according to Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai. The minister, who made the claim during a virtual rally in Bihar's Madhubani district, also claimed that Tral area is now a ''terror free zone'' in Kashmir