JOIN USA militant, apparently belonging to Islamic State in Jammu and Kashmir (IS-JK), was shot dead by unidentified gunmen here in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said.
"An Individual was today killed when he was fired upon in Hazratbal area of Srinagar district. A pistol was also recovered from the spot. Consequently, he was identified as Asif Nazir Dar, a resident of Panzgam area of Awantipora (in south Kashmir's Pulwama district)," a police spokesman said.
He said the Dar was active since January 2017.
"Initially he had joined the proscribed terror outfit HM (Hizbul Mujahideen) but later got associated with the Eisa Fazili group of terrorists," the spokesman said.
He said police have registered a case in this regard and the investigation has been initiated.
The body has been handed over to the legal heirs after completion of legal formalities, the spokesman said.
Eisa Fazili alias Eisa Roohullah al Kashmiri, a son of a Kashmir University employee, hailed from Soura area of the city here was killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag in March along with two other ultras.
Islamic State in Jammu and Kashmir (IS-JK) had owned up the three militants killed in the encounter and had earlier also taken responsibility for the attack on the police guard post at the residence of Hurriyat Conference leader Fazal Haq Qureshi in Soura area of the city which police believed was done by Fazili.
A policeman was killed in the attack and the assailants had fled with his service rifle.
Earlier, based on preliminary information, a police official had said that Dar belonged to 'Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind' - an affiliate of al-Qaeda in the valley led by Zakir Mussa.