6 LeT militants killed in 2 separate encounters in Kulgam and Rajouri

SRINAGAR: Six militants were killed in twin encounters with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. Police said the five Lashkar-e-Toiba militants killed in gunfight in Kulgam, south Kashmir were involved in attacks on minority community members in the Valley.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police south Kashmir Rayees Ahmed Bhat said a joint contingent of police, 34 Rashtriya Rifles, 9 Para and 18 bn CRPF laid siege around village Samno in Damhal Hanjipora area of Kulgam district yesterday after receiving inputs about presence of a group of Lashkar militants there.

“We had information that the militants were hiding in some residential houses. As the searches were launched yesterday evening, militants holed-up in the area fired on the search party. The fire was returned by the troops and intermittent exchange of gunfire between two sides continued throughout the night,” he said.

Security forces launched a final assault on the holed-up militant in the early morning and all the five militants were killed in the fierce gunfight. Two residential houses, where the militants were hiding, were damaged during the gunfight. The slain militants were identified as Yasir Bilal Bhat alias Humais, Danish Hameed Thoker, Ubaid Ahmad Padder,  Sameer Farooq Sheikh and Hanzal Yaqoob Shah alias Hanzilla, all locals.

“All the five militants were associated with Lashkar. They were involved in a number of attacks on minority communities including Kashmiri Pandits and migrant labourers besides attacks on security forces in twin districts of Shopian and Kulgam in south Kashmir,” the DIG said. Terming the killing of five militants as a big success for security forces, he said, “The killings have dealt a serious blow to the terror infrastructure operating here. We believe that more successes are on the way.”

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