3 militants killed in encounter with security forces in J&K's Anantnag district

Three militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said.

Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Kwarigam, Ranipora area of the South Kashmir district following inputs about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

While the forces were conducting searches in the area the militants fired upon them. The forces retaliated leading to an exchange of fire in which three militants were killed, the official said.

One of the slain militants has been identified as Arif Hazam belonging to the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit, he said, adding Hazam was involved in the killing of Territorial Armyman Havaldar Manzoor Beigh in June 2019.