An unidentified militant affiliated with Pakistan-based Lashkar-i-Toiba outfit was gunned down in a gunfight in north Kashmir’s Bandipora District. Another encounter is underway in south Kashmir.
The first gunfight broke out between militants and security forces in a forested area of Salinder in north Kashmir's Bandipora district on Wednesday when a joint team of Police, Army and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation.
As the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon the forces, triggering a gunfight. A senior police officer said there was furious exchange of gunfire between militants and security forces.
In a tweet, the Kashmir Police Zone wrote: "01 militant killed. 01 AK rifle, 03 magazines recovered. The killed militant was a part of newly infiltrated militant group. Search for other 02 militants is in progress,” IG Kashmir Vijay Kumar said, according to the tweet.
The Inspector General said the slain militant belonged to a recently infiltrated LeT group. Sources two more militants are believed to be hiding in the area.
Later, police said the militant has been identified as Gulzar Ahmad Ganai, a resident of Wussan Pattan, Baramulla, police said. Police tweeted: "He was exfiltrated in year 2018 & remained there for 3 years & 6 months before infiltrating back in the last week of April.
"#BandiporaEncounterUpdate: Killed #terrorist identified as Gulzar Ahmad Ganai resident of Wussan Pattan, #Baramulla. He #exfilitrated in year 2018 & remained there for 3 years & 6 months before #infiltrating back in the last week of April @JmuKmrPolice."
The second encounter broke out between militants and security forces in Marhama Bijbhera of South Kashmir's Anantnag district on Wednesday when a joint team of Police and army launched a cordon and search operation in Marhama.
“Based on specific input generated by JKP, regarding likely presence of terrorists in the general area of Jal Kreeri, Anantnag, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the Indian Army and JKP in the area at about 03:50 PM on 10 May 22. Own Forces established an initial cordon around the suspected cluster of houses in the village and at around 06:20 PM, as the cordon was being tightened around the target house, the terrorists opened indiscriminate fire on the Security Forces triggering an encounter,” a police statement said.
“Our forces swiftly returned fire and tightened the cordon. In the ensuing firefight, the terrorists attempting to break the cordon opened heavy volume of fire and threw grenades onto the Security Forces, in which four soldiers suffered injuries and were subsequently evacuated. The two terrorists were eventually neutralised. One AK series Rifle and other war like stores were recovered from the encounter location,” the statement said.
“As per JKP records, the two neutralised terrorists have been identified as Arif Hussain Bhat, a resident of Hiwar, Anantnag, who had joined the proscribed terror outfit HM on 17 Jun 21 and Suhail Ah Lone, a resident of Augam, Kulgam of LeT and had been active since 08 Feb 2022,” it added.
Security forces gunned down two militants, including a Pakistani commander, named Haider, in a gunfight at Cheyan Devsar village of Kulgam. Earlier, a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Mohammad Ashraf Khan alias Ashraf Moulvi was among the three militants killed in a gunfight in Batkoot forests of Pahalgam in south Kashmir on Friday. Police had said the killings had averted a major threat to Amarnath Yatra.