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A top Lashkar-e-Taiyba commander was among the three militants killed in two ongoing fierce encounters in the Zachaldara forest area of northern Kashmir's Kupwara district, according to a police spokesman.
He said the Army and the police surrounded the forest areas of Bahnipora and Satkoji in the Kupwara district on Tuesday afternoon.
"At both places, the surrounding troops challenged the militants to surrender, who fired upon the search parties, triggering fierce encounters," the spokesman said.
"So far, three militants have been killed and one of them has been identified as Abu Hamza, a top Pakistani LeT commander," he said. The spokesman added that both encounters were still going on.
Meanwhile, search operations in Khrew forest near Srinagar continued for the second consecutive day today.
Police sources said security forces had exchanged gunfire with the militants hiding in the forests today morning and the security cordon was further tightened after that.