Two militants killed in Kashmir encounter

Two unidentified militants were killed in a brief encounter with security forces in Rajwar area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district on Monday.

A police officer said the militants were killed after they fired upon a joint party of police and army near Galganzer, Zacheldara in Rajwar area of Handwara on Monday evening. The attack was repulsed by the forces, he said.

 

The identities and group affiliations of the slain militants were being ascertained.

Nearly 170 militants, including top commanders Sabzar Bhat, Junaid Matoo, Ayoub Lelhari, Bashir Lashkari, Abu Dujana, Mehmood Gaznavi, Umer Khalid and Qayoom Najar, have been killed by the security forces this year, which is the highest number in the last decade.

The security forces are going after militants as part of operation "hunt down" and on the basis of a hit list of militants. While most of the encounters this year have been happening in the southern districts of Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama, north Kashmir has more battle-hardened militants active on ground than the south, a police officer said.

"Contrary to what is being projected in the media that south Kashmir is a hotbed of militancy, the figures reveal that north has more active militants. The militants in north are mostly foreigners," he told DH.