SRINAGAR: Two Pakistani militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba and a civilian were killed in a two-day long encounter in Pampore area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. A local militant, who had joined militancy two months back, surrendered during the encounter on Friday.
At Lalpora Chatlam area in Pulwama district, militants fired at troops, causing injuries to two civilians on Thursday. The injured civilians were evacuated to hospital, where one of them Abid Ahmad Mir succumbed to injuries.
After the initial firefight, militants escaped from the area. “However, the troops again cornered them and asked them to surrender. They turned down the offer and fired on the troops, which lead to an other gunfight,” the police said.
The operation was suspended during the night and troops resumed the early hours today. “In the initial gunfight, one of the trapped militants was killed.” The trapped militants were again given an option to surrender and one of them — Khawar Sultan Mir — laid down his weapons and surrendered in an injured condition.
Mir had joined Lashkar in September this year. “After his surrender, forces again launched the operation as we had information that three militants were trapped. Another militant was killed in the ensuing gunfight and bodies of both the militants were recovered,” the police said.