3 Hizbul militants among 4 killed in Kashmir encounters

Four militants, including three of Hizbul Mujahideen, were on Monday killed in two gunfights during search operations in Anantnag and Kupwara districts of Kashmir valley, officials said.

The Hizbul militants -- Sartaj Ahmad Lone, Adil Ahmad Sheikh and Tanveer Ahmad Bhat -- were killed in the gunfight with a joint search party of police, Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF at village Siligam in Ashmuqam, 80 km from here, in Anantang district of south Kashmir, a police spokesman said.

He said the encounter took place when the trio, hailing from Bijbehara area of Anantnag, opened fire on the security forces who had moved to the village following specific information about their presence.

Terming the killing of the three militants as a "major success", the spokesman said Aadil and Tanveer were involved in the killing of a policeman and a civilian in Bijbehara on March 22 and June 16.

While the policeman, Arif Nazir Khan, was killed on June 16, Javid Ahmad Sofi was shot dead on March 22.

Three AK-47 riffles, six magazines, a UBGL with three grenades, a pistol with a magazine were recovered from the encounter site, the spokesman said.

Commenting on the encounter, a defence spokesman said, "It was a major blow to the terrorist organisations as also a true homage to the sacrifices of all soldiers fighting terror."

In a separate operation in north Kashmir's Kupwara district, which entered its 11th day on Monday, the security forces killed one militant while efforts were on to flush out his accomplices, the official said.

The unidentified militant was killed in the encounter in the dense forests of Manigah, where Colonel Santosh Mahadik was killed last week, he said.

Security forces are continuing a massive search operation in the forest near the Line of Control since November 13 following information about presence of a group of heavily- armed militants.

On November 17, an encounter between the militants and the security forces left Colonel Mahadik, Commanding Officer of 41 Rashtriya Rifles, dead.

In another exchange of fire on Sunday, two army personnel including a Lt Colonel were injured in the district.

All photograph: Umar Ganie