Six JeM militants, soldier killed in separate encounters with security forces in south Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 30: Six Jaish-e-Mohammad militants, including a Pakistani national, and a soldier were killed in two separate encounters with security forces in Anantnag and Kulgam districts of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Thursday.

Upon receiving information about the presence of militants at Nowgam Shahabad in Anantnag district, security forces launched a cordon and search operation on Wednesday night, a police official said.

During the searches, the militants opened fire and the security forces retaliated, leading to an encounter, the official said.

In the exchange of fire, three militants were killed. A police man was also injured and he was shifted to a hospital, he added.

Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said the militants were affiliated with JeM and one of the slain was a Pakistani national.

“Six terrorists of proscribed terror outfit JeM killed in two separate encounters. Four among the killed terrorists have been identified so far as two Pakistani and two local terrorists. Identification of the other two terrorists is being ascertained. A big success for us,” Kumar said in a tweet.

In the Kulgam encounter, a Pakistani national was among three militants who were killed. The other two were locals, the police said.

A police spokesman identified the militants killed in Kulgam as Mohammad Shafi Dar resident of Tral (JeM), Uzair Ahmad resident of Mirhama. He said both were C categorized militants of militant outfit JeM.

“One Foreign (Pakistani) militant Shahid @Shahzaid who was listed among top most wanted list of militants in J&K was also killed in the encounter,” he said.

Incriminating material including 02 AK47 and one M4 rifles along with ammunition were recovered from the encounter site, added the official.

A police official said that an army soldier was also killed in the gunfight while two more soldiers and a cop were injured in the exchange of fire.