Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Nov 14: A militant of Hizbul Mujahideen and a soldier were killed in fierce day long encounter in Qazigund area of Kulgam district in South Kashmir today.
Acting on specific information, Special Operations Group (SOG) of Kulgam Police and 9 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Army cordoned off Nowbug Kund village of Qazigund in Kulgam district this morning. Sources said that there were six militants of Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) including district commander LeT, Altaf Kachru, hiding in the village.
As searches were launched, the hiding militants fired upon the security forces triggering an encounter. The intermittent firing continued throughout the day between the two sides in which one soldier and a militant were killed.
The militant has been identified as Muzamil Ahmad of Badroo Yaripora, Kulgam. The slain militant was an Engineering Graduate and was associated with Hizbul Mujahideen, who was active since 2015. One soldier was also killed in the fierce encounter and two others were injured.
Massive searches are on against the rest members of the group and security forces suspected that they are still hiding in the forest area and have intensified the operation to track them down. More troops have been rushed to the forest area for the operation.
Meanwhile, security forces busted a militant hideout in Lam forest area of Tral in Pulwama district today. The hideout was busted after exchange of fire between militants and security forces this morning.
Sources said that security forces cordoned off Lam forest area after reports about presence of at least 3-4 militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad hiding there. However, militants fired on the security forces and managed to escape. The searches against the group continued throughout the day.
Security forces this evening launched a search operation in Ahmad Nagar area of Srinagar after reports of two local militants hiding there. However, searches operation was later called off after no militants were found there.
In the meantime, security in North Kashmir has been put on maximum alert after killing of two militants in Handwara area of Kupwara district last evening. Sources said the two militants were on their way to receive a group of JeM militants who were hiding in Handwara forests and were to be transported to hinterland. The two militants were killed in the brief gun battle but the militants who are hiding in area are still there.
Security forces have now established nakas at various places and are on heightened alert to carry out operation against the militant group who may try to come out with the help of locals.
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