Three terrorists, one soldier killed in Kashmir clashes

SRINAGAR: Three militants and a soldier were today killed in two separate encounters in Baramulla and Shopian districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in village Dursoo in Rafiabad area of Baramulla district this morning following information about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after militants opened firing towards security forces.

Two militants were killed in the encounter, the official said, adding they were identified as Riyaz Ahmed Dar, a resident of Naseer Abad Chinkipora Sopore and Khursheed Ahmed Malik, a resident of Aarihal Pulwama.

The slain terrorists were affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit, he said. An Army Jawan, Sawar Vijay Kumar, also lost his life in the gunbattle, the official said.

In another gunbattle tonight, security forces killed an unidentified militant in Kiloora area of Shopian district of south Kashmir, an army official said.

He said the security forces cordoned off the area following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants there and started a search operation there.

The search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon the security forces party, he said. The operation is on, the army official said.