Three militants, soldier killed in Kashmir: Army

Three militants and a soldier were killed in an encounter between army and ultras in a week-long operation at Danna forest area of north Kashmir's Bandipora district.

Sources said a joint team of army's 27 and 31 Rashtriya Rifles battalions had launched a cordon-and-search operation (CASO) in the woods of Chaan Daji and Dani Behak area of Bandipora since last one week.

“Yesterday in the afternoon, a gunfight ensued after a joint team of forces had a standoff with the militants at Danna forests. In the operation which continued till today in the afternoon three Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, were killed,” they said.

“An army soldier identified as Rifleman Shiv Kumar of 31 RR was also injured today in the morning and was evacuated to 92 base military hospital, where he succumbed to injuries," they added.

Army's Srinagar based defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia confirmed the killing of three militants in the operation. He said the bodies of the slain militants along with as many weapons and other like stores were recovered.

Earlier, on Thursday, two Lasker-e-Toiba militants of Pakistani origin were killed in an encounter with security forces in Hajin area of the same district.