JeM commander among two militants killed in Kashmir

Kaiser Koka, a self-styled commander of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit, along with his associate, was killed on Monday in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

“#AwantiporaEncounterUpdate: #Terrorist Kaiser Koka #neutralised. Identification of 2nd terrorist being ascertained. #Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 01 USA made rifle (M-4 Carbine), 01 pistol and other materials have been recovered (sic),” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

Additional Director General of Police Vijay Kumar said that Koka was active since 2018 and was involved in several militancy-related incidents in south Kashmir, especially in Awantipora area of Pulwama district.

Earlier, the police said, a gunfight erupted in Wandakpora village of Awantipora after security forces launched a cordon-and-search-operation following ‘specific’ inputs about the presence of militants in the area. As the security forces approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants opened fire, to which the security force retaliated, triggering a gunfight in which two ultras were killed, the police said.

This year, over 120 militants, including Pakistanis, have been killed in different encounters with security forces. This is twice the number of militants killed last year in the same duration.

The police said that the majority of those killed so far this year belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba, and JeM. Nearly 40 militants who died this year were fresh recruits and were killed within the first three months of joining the militant ranks.