SRINAGAR: A top militant commander of Hizbul Mujahideen and one of the oldest surviving militants who was active since 1996, was killed as security forces foiled an infiltration attempt by militants along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch on Monday.
An army official said the movement of two suspected persons was detected along the LoC in the Poonch sector at around 2 am and the movement of the group was kept under constant surveillance through new-generation electro-optical devices.
Army also released footage captured by thermal cameras showing two persons crossing into this side of LoC in the dark through a dense forest along the LoC. “The militants were challenged when they attempted to cross LoC to this side. They opened fire on the troops, who retaliated. In the ensuing firefight, one militant was killed while another was injured and he sneaked back across the LoC taking advantage of thick foliage, rain and rocky terrain,” the army official said.
The slain militant was identified as Muneser Hussain son of Sattar Mohammad R/o Bagyladra Poonch.
“An AK 56 rifle, 1 9 mm pistol with a silencer, 1 magazine of AK rifle, 2 hand grenades, eatables and medicines were recovered from his possession,” the army official said. A police official said the slain militant was active since 1996.
“1993 he went to PoK for arms training and returned in 1996. He again returned to PoK in 1998. He masterminded a number of attacks on security forces in the Pir Panjal region comprising border districts of Rajouri and Poonch,” he said. The police official said Hussain was the Divisional Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen and was tasked to revive militancy in Rajouri and Poonch.
Terror mastermind
Muneser Hussain was one of the oldest surviving militants, active since 1996. He was the mastermind behind a number of attacks on security forces in Pir Panjal region comprising the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch. As a Divisional Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, he was tasked to revive militancy in Rajouri, Poonch