Slain Hizb commander had killed 30 civilians: Army

The army said on Thursday that the longest surviving militant commander who was gunned down on Wednesday by the security forces in north Kashmir's Ganderbal district was responsible for 30 civilian killings.

Major Gen Gurdeep Singh, GOC Victor Force told a media conference in Ganderbal on Thursday, "Mushtaq Khan alias Mushtaq Jhangi, commander of the Hizbul Mujaheedin, was responsible for 30 killings in the district."

He said that there were still between six to eight militants both foreigners and locals active in Ganderbal district and Mushtaq controlled their operations in the area.

The GOC further said that troops of 5 Rashtriya Rifles and police carried out a joint operation in the Gotlibagh forests on Wednesday and gunned down two militants including Mushtaq, while the third one identified as Muzaffar was arrested alive.

The police on Wednesday said Mushtaq Janghi was active since the inception of militancy and he was the longest surviving militant in the Valley.

Two AK 47 rifles, four AK magazines and one Chinese grenade were recovered from the killed militants, the officer said.