SRINAGAR – Security forces shot dead four militants including a Pakistani in three encounters in Kashmir in the last 12 hours, police said on Saturday.
A militant has also been arrested during one of these encounter.
The three overnight gunfights took place after the assassination of a Sarpanch in Kulgam – second in last three days. The gunfights took place in Pulwama, Ganderbal and Kupwara districts of Kashmir.
While Pulwama and Handwara gunfights are over, the operation in Ganderbal is still underway.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir Vijay Kumar said security forces had launched a joint operations at four to five locations on Friday night and two militants belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba have been killed in these gunfights.
He said a militant was arrested alive during one such encounter.
The first encounter broke out at Chewakalan area of Zadoora, Pulwama on Friday evening in which two militants of Jaish including a Pakistani were killed.
Police identified the Pakistani as JeM commander Kamaal Bhai alias Jatt.
“He was active since 2018 in Pulwama-Shopian area & involved in several terror crimes & civilian atrocities,” Kumar said.
The other two encounters broke out at Ganderbal in central Kashmir and Rajwar forests of Handwara in Kupwara district during the night.
Police said one militant each of Laskhar has been killed in these two encounters.
The encounters are taking place at a time when security forces have stepped up anti militancy operations across Kashmir after the targeted killings. On Friday evening a Sarpanch was shot dead by militants in south Kashmir’s Kulgam.
