Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 18: Security forces achieved a major success in North Kashmir today by killing two divisional commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) during an operation in Saidpora village of Sopore in district Baramulla.
SP Sopore, Abdul Qayoom, while giving details about the operation said that last night security forces received information about presence of some Pakistani militants in village Saidpora in Sopore area of North Kashmir.
“We cordoned off the village and kept the operation suspended till morning. Early in the morning we evacuated people from the adjacent houses where the militants were hiding”, said the SP.
Qayoom said: “We asked the militants to surrender before the troops but they opened fire and we retaliated. Two Pakistani militants Asadullah of LeT and Ramzan of JeM were killed in the gun battle. There was no collateral damage to any person or property during the operation.”
The SP said that it is major success for the security forces in the area as two top militants of the two outfits were eliminated. “This is a major success for the security forces. These were young men of the age group of 20-22. We recovered two AK-47 rifles, six magazines, 140 rounds and one pistol from them”, he added.
A police spokesman while giving details about the operation said here that Sopore police along with 22 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Army and 177 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched a cordon and search operation in village Saidpora, Sopore. “The militants fired upon the joint search party, triggering an encounter in which two militants were killed. The slain militants were identified as Assadullah and Mohammad Ramzan both foreign militants of LeT outfit”, he added.
The spokesman said that Asadullah infiltrated last year and was a group commander of the LeT. “He was instrumental to rope in cadres of Jaish into his group. He was active in Kupwara district earlier and had moved to Sopore area last month and was planning to reactivate LeT base in Sopore”, he added.
The spokesman said that Ramzan was earlier affiliated with Jaish and was a part of the 20-strong JeM group in North Kashmir which had infiltrated in 2013. “A large part of that group migrated to South Kashmir and many were killed. He was one of the two remaining JeM militants of that group in North Kashmir who had now got inducted into LeT. Two AK rifles, 2 magazines, 140 AK rounds, two I com sets, three GPS’s, 2 compass and a Matrix was recovered from the killed militants”, he added.
A Defence spokesman, meanwhile, said here today that an operation was launched in Saidpora village near Sopore in North Kashmir district of Baramulla last night.
“Based on specific input of Police about presence of two terrorists in Saidpora village near Sopore, joint operation was launched by Rashtriya Rifles unit of Army and the SOG, resulting into killing of two terrorists and recovery of 2 AK-47 rifles, 1 Pistol, ammunition and other war like stores”, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that intelligence inputs about presence of two militants in a hideout in the Saidpora village near Sopore was received by the Rashtriya Rifles unit operating in the area during late last evening. “The operation was launched by 9.30 PM on the same night and an effective cordon was established by 2 AM on January 18, by the Rashtriya Rifle unit and SOG, blocking all possible escape routes”, he added.
“As the noose was tightened in the morning hours, the terrorists hiding in the built up area tried to escape. On being contented by the Army and SOG personnel, terrorists opened fire. In the ensuing fire fight and precise engagement by the Army personnel, two terrorists were eliminated”, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that search of the area led to recovery of bodies of two militants, 2 AK-47 rifles, 1 pistol, ammunition, 2 UBGL, 6 UBGL rounds and other war like stores. “Terrorists have been identified as Kari Assadullah, divisional commander of LeT and Ramzan of JeM. Both the terrorists were from Pakistan and had infiltrated in year 2013”, he added.
The spokesman said that General Officer Commanding (GoC) 15 Corps, Lt General Subrata Saha, commended the Rashtriya Rifles and JK Police personnel from Sopore for the successful elimination of the two divisional Commanders operating in North Kashmir. “This will adversely impact LeT and JeM”, the spokesman quoted the GOC.
The spokesman said: “This is the fifth successful operation of 2015. So far a total of eight terrorists have been eliminated and two terrorists apprehended in 2015.”
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