Two militants shot dead in J&K’s Anantnag

Over 275 militants still active in J&K, say police

Security personnel during a cordon and search operation at Dehruna area in Anantnag district in south Kashmir. File photo

Two militants were killed in a security forces operation in south Kashmir on Tuesday. The police identified the slain militants as Faisal Nazir Mir from Anantnag and another a Pakistani. “Both were affiliated to Jaish-e-Mohammad,” the police said.

The militants were encircled during a combing operation in the Nilphan and Andoo (Kachwan) forest area of Kokernag, Anantnag. “The hiding militants fired. In retaliation, both were killed. The bodies were retrieved and the identities and affiliation are being ascertained,” the police said.

The police said “incriminating material, including arms and ammunition” were recovered from the site of encounter.

In the stepped-up operations against militants this year, security forces had so far killed 91 militants. Sixty-one security personnel and 11 civilians also lost their lives in militancy-related cases during the period, according to officials. Director-General of Police Dilbagh Singh said, “There are around 275 militants active in the Valley. Around 100 to 120 are foreigners.”

‘End of new militancy’

He termed the killing of Al-Qaeda affiliate Ansar Ghatwat-ul-Hind chief Zakir Ahmad Bhat, alias Musa, the “end of the new idea of militancy in Kashmir”. “Musa started a new idea of militancy in Kashmir but his idea came to an end with his killing.”

Meanwhile, the Army said Pakistan resorted to a ceasefire violation in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri on Tuesday. “Pakistan used small arms and followed it with shelling. The Army is retaliating befittingly,” the Army spokesman said.