Mendhar, Jan 9: The security forces have called off their operation against terrorism late on Thursday night in Bhati Dhar forest area of Mendhar in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch District.

According to army sources, the possibility of militants having escaped cannot be ruled out.

Security forces in co-operation with police personnel launched a major combing operation targeting militant hideouts with rockets and mortars as the raging gun battle entered the eighth day on Thursday.

Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir), Jan. 8 :Tourists are thronging Gulmarg to revel in its famous snow clad slopes.

Trees, buildings, roads, are all covered in white with snow flakes occasionally falling adding to the joyous atmosphere around.

Tourists from the hot Indian plains are thrilled to see the snowfall, some of them experiencing it for the first time, of course a life time experience for them.

"It seems like heaven everywhere here. I would like to request all the tourists that they should come and see the paradise on earth here," said Manoj Sharma, a tourist.

Mendhar, Jan 7 : The gun battle between army personnel and militants here continued for the seventh consecutive day on Wednesday.

According to defence sources, an intense gun battle continued with army troops firing rockets and mortars targeting the militants'' cave hideouts in Bhati Dhar forest area.

Security forces have cordoned off the area around the forest while the search operations have been partially hindered due to the dense forests.

Thick forests, terraces and a number of natural caves, are providing hideouts to the militants.

Jammu: 38 year old Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the youngest Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir at a sparkling swearing-in ceremony here yesterday. In the presence of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Governor NN Vohra administered Omar the oath of office and secrecy at the General Zorawar Singh Auditorium on the Jammu University campus.

Omar is the third generation leader of the J& K National Conference (NC). He is the son of former chief minister Farooq Abdullah and grandson of Sheikh Abdullah, another chief minister of the state.

On Monday the gunbattle between security forces and terrorists entered its fifth day in Poonch.

For the last 15 hours there’s been continuous firing between security forces and a group of terrorist.

The operation to find nearly six to eight terrorists hiding in the forests near the Line of Control commenced on Sunday. Furthermore, in order to prevent the terrorists from escaping, the area has been cordoned by the security.   

Jammu, Jan 5 : National Conference party chief Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister today.

State Governor N N Vohra administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar at General Zorawar Singh auditorium in the presence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Omar will continue to be the Chief Minister during the entire tenure of the NC-Congress party coalition government.

National Conference won 28 of the Assembly''s 87 seats, the Congress 17, the People''s Democratic Party 21, Bharatiya Janata Party 11 and other parties and independents won 10 seats.