Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Apr 18: Security forces last night achieved a major success against militants by arresting a top most commander of Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in North Kashmir’s Sopore area while a militant was killed this evening during an operation launched on the basis of information provided by the captured commander.
Inspector General of Police, A G Mir flanked by General Officer Commanding (GOC) of counter-insurgency Kilo Force, Sarth Chand, while addressing a press conference here this evening said that Divisional Commander for North Kashmir Qari Naved alias Fahad Ullah resident of Multan Pakistan was arrested by security forces last evening during an ambush.
The IGP said that security forces were tracking Fahadullah’s movement for several days and last night on the basis of a specific information a joint team of Police and 22-RR of Army apprehended Fahadullah. “He was functioning as Divisional Commander of LeT outfit in North Kashmir and was coordinator between Pakistan based LeT commander Hanzullah on one side and Qari Yasir of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Divisional commander LeT for South Kashmir, Qasim on the other side “, he added.
Mir said that based on the information provided by Fahadullah about the presence of two more militants in an orchard at Wagub village in Sopore area, a joint team of Police and 22 and 52 RR of Army and CRPF launched an operation and the area was sealed off.
The IGP said that two militants hiding in the orchards upon seeing security forces fired upon the advancing parties and in the retaliatory fire one militant was killed. “The slain militant was identified as Shabir Ahmad Sheikh alias Tameem alias Sufiyan resident of Palhalan.
Mir said that Sheikh masterminded the killing of Sarpanch Ghulam Mohammad Yatoo of Palhalan, Pattan Baramulla on September 10 last year. “Another militant, Hilal Molvi alias Khalid of Palhalan escaped from the area taking advantage of people working in the orchards”, he added.
IGP said that 2 AK rifles, 5 AK magazines, 2 Pistols, 5 grenades, 150 AK and pistol rounds were recovered from the possession of the arrested and killed militant.
Mir said that Fahadullah along with the slain militant Urfi Dar alias Husham of Sopore was involved in the killing of SPO Reyaz Ahmad at Brathkalan Sopore, in the month of September 2012. “He also masterminded a series of grenades attacks in Sopore in the months of July, August and September 2012, injuring many civilians and security forces personal. Further investigations regarding his involvement in militant activities are being carried out”, he added.
The IGP said that Fahadullah had taken over the command of LeT in North Kashmir and was operating in Sopore area after the killing of Abdullah Uni.
Mir said that there are around 100 militants operating in Kashmir and some of them are working clandestinely.
Sources said that Fahadullah was motivating the local youth for arms training and was sending them to Pakistan for advanced arms and communication training including Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP).
Sources said that Fahadullah has recruited around 30 youth from North Kashmir and was an expert in bomb making with local material – urea, Hydrogen peroxide, sulphuric acid and nitric acid.
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