Six militants killed in separate encounters in Kashmir

Six unidentified militants were killed in two separate encounters with security forces in Kashmir on Thursday. In the first encounter two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kreeri area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district.

Reports said the gunfight erupted after personnel from the Army’s 52-Rashtriya Rifles, police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched a cordon-and-search operation in Athoora area of Kreeri, 35 km from here, following ‘credible input’ about the presence of the militants in the area.

As the security forces were conducting searches they were fired and in the retaliatory action two militants were killed. “Kreeri Baramulla operation is over. Two militants belonging to LeT killed. Arms and ammunition recovered,” J&K police tweeted without identifying the slain ultras.

In the wake of the gunfight, mobile Internet service was suspended in north Kashmir's Baramulla district Reports said both the low-speed and high-speed Internet services were blocked in the entire district.

Another encounter erupted between militants and security forces in Arwani area of southern Anantnag district in the evening in which four ultras were gunned down.

A police official said four militants have been killed in the gun battle. “So far bodies of four militants have been recovered and searches are underway,” he said and added four weapons were recovered from the gunfight site.

However, the identity and group affiliation of slain militants was not known immediately. Reports said soon after the news about the killing of militants spread in the area, scores of youths clashed with security forces near the gunfight site.

There has been a spurt in encounters between security forces and militants in the last few weeks. On Wednesday, two local militants, including a PhD scholar, were killed in a similar encounter with security forces in Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar city.

Earlier on October 21, seven civilians were killed when an explosive shell went off after an encounter between security forces and militants in south Kashmir’s Kulgam ended in which three ultras of the Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit were shot dead.

Over 170 militants have been killed in Kashmir this year while 217 ultras were killed in 2017 which was highest in the last eight years. The security forces are going after militants as part of "operation all out" and on the basis of a “hit list” of ultras.

The civilian support and sympathy for militants have increased since the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in July 2016, which has become a concern to the state.