Shopian encounter: The militants are learnt to be from the Lashkar-e-Taiba. (Source: ANI)
At least five militants were killed in an encounter with security forces, which started on Friday night in Killora village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district. The operation has ended and bodies of all the five have been recovered. The militants are learnt to be from the Lashkar-e-Taiba. This is the third consecutive encounter since Thursday.
“We had information that a group of terrorists are there in the area (Shopian’s Killora village). J&K police, Army, CRPF cordoned the area. A terrorist was killed in an encounter last night. The firing was resumed today and bodies of 4 more terrorists were recovered. Operation called off,” ANI quoted Jammu and Kashmir DGP S P Vaid as saying.
The security forces had cordoned off the area last night following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants there and had started a search operation there. The search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon the security forces, PTI quoted an official as saying.
Early morning on Saturday, Vaid confirmed, “4 more bodies of terrorists visible at encounter site kiloora Shopian taking the total to 5 terrorists killed.”
4 more bodies of terrorists visible at encounter site kiloora Shopian taking the total to 5 terrorists killed. Good Job boys , good for peace.
— Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) August 4, 2018
In another encounter that took place on Friday, two militants, including a B-Tech graduate, who had joined militant ranks just four days ago, were killed in an encounter in north Kashmir’s Sopore. An Armyman was also killed in the gunfight, while three others were injured.
Security forces responded to incessant firing by militants during a search operation in Drusso village at Behrampora in Sopore township. On Thursday night, a joint team of police, Army and paramilitary forces cordoned off the village after receiving information about the presence of militants there. Around midnight, as forces zeroed in on the house, the militants opened fire, triggering a gunfight that lasted till Friday morning. Police have identified the slain militants as Khursheed Ahmad of Pulwama and Riyaz Ahmad Dar of Sopore.
Meanwhile, two militants were gunned down in an encounter with security forces near a check-post in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. The gun battle took place after militants opened fire on security personnel on patrol duty in Lolab Valley.