Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 18: Two militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed in a fierce encounter in Handwara area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district this morning.
Special Operations Group (SOG) of Handwara Police and 21 Rashtriya Rifles of Army cordoned off the Waderbala area of Handwara in district Kupwara last night after the police got specific information about presence of a group of three LeT militants in the village.
Reports said that Handwara Police received information about the presence of the group in the village and they assisted by the Army laid cordon at 2200 hours and at around 0030 hours today militants opened fire on the security forces and went inside nearby Masjid. Later, they tried to flee from the villages by firing indiscriminately at the security forces. But the security forces had already tightened the cordon around the village and they shot dead two militants in a nullah. However, one of the militants managed to escape into nearby forests.
Security forces conducted searches of the village in the morning and recovered two dead bodies of militants, two AK 47 rifles, six AK magazines, four UBGLs, 46 AK rounds, two radio sets, two maps, two pouches and a diary.
Sources said that the two killed militants were part of the five militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) who were killed by security forces in Chowkibal forest area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district on February 13 this year.
The group of eight LeT militants had infiltrated during the intervening night of February 8 and 9 into Zunreshi forests of Chowkibal from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Security forces are searching the last remaining militant of the group who is now believed to be hiding inside the forests.
The Superintendent of Police Handwara, Ghulam Jeelani, said here that two foreign militants were killed in an encounter with police and security forces in Waderbala area of Handwara today.
“Acting on specific information about the presence of terrorists, Handwara police assisted by 21 RR started cordon and search operation in Waderbala, jurisdiction of Police Station Handwara”, the SP said.
Jeelani said during the searches, the militants fired upon the joint party of police and security forces. “The fire was retaliated and an encounter ensued. Two foreign terrorists were killed in the encounter”, he said.
“Two AK 47 rifles, 6 AK magazines, 4 UBGLs, 46 AK rounds, 2 radio sets, 2 maps, 2 pouches and a diary was recovered from the encounter site. The identity of these terrorists is being ascertained”, the SP added.
Security forces this year achieved major success against militants in Kashmir killing 25 militants including 19 from LeT and 6 of Hizbul Mujahideen so far. This is highest number of militants killed in the first 78 days of the year in recent years.
In the meantime, security forces launched an operation in the village Ratsuna, in central Kashmir district of Budgam tonight. The 22-RR of Army and police cordoned off Ratsuna village after they received information about presence of two militants hiding in a house.
Security forces have launched house to house searches and have tightened the cordon so that the militants may not flee.
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