Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 5: Three militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) including a local were killed in an encounter in Chandgam area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district today.
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Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of Police, Army and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation on specific information about the presence of militants in the area.
As the security forces approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, which was retaliated, triggering a gunfight.
In the ensuing encounter, three militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
Among the killed militants, two have been identified as a local militant Mir Owais, resident of Ashmander, Pulwama and a Pakistani national, Talha Yasir linked with JeM.
Regarding the third killed militant, although the recoveries made from the site of encounter indicate him to be a foreigner, however his identification is being ascertained.
A police spokesman said that arms and ammunition including two M-4 Carbine and one AK series rifle were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, congratulated the joint team of security forces for conducting successful operation without any collateral damage and termed the killing of three Jaish militants as a big success for police and other forces.
Srinagar based Defence spokesman Colonel Emron Musavi said that taking advantage of the darkness and inclement weather, troops successfully established a grid lock around the target house and sealed all escape routes.
“Militants on seeing the escape routes blocked resorted to heavy firing including lobbing of grenades on the security forces at 05:30 am. This was effectively retaliated by own troops and in the exchange of fire, three hard core militants including two Pakistani militants of JeM outfit were neutralised by the security forces,” the spokesman said.
Twelve militants including five foreigners who were affiliated with Jaish were killed in four separate encounters in Kashmir in the last eight days.
On 29th December, three militants namely Shahid alias Shahzaid resident of Pakistan, Muhammad Shafi Dar of Tral and Uzair Ahmad of Mirhama Kulgam were killed in Mirhama area of Kulgam district.
On 30th December, three militants namely Sultan alias Mavia a foreigner, Nisar Ahmad Khanday of Dudwangan Kapran and Altaf Ahmad Shah a resident of Nathipora Dooru were killed in an encounter in Nowgam area of Verinag in Anantnag.
However, police later said that the picture of one of the killed militants in Anantnag encounter matches with JeM top commander Samir Dar, who was the last surviving militant involved in Lethpora attack.
On December 31, three militants including two non-locals and one local Suhail Ahmad Rather were killed in an encounter in Pantha Chowk area of Srinagar district.
On 5th January, three militants including two non-locals and one local Owais Ahmad of Ashmander Pulwama were killed in an encounter in Chandgam Pulwama.
Besides recovering other arms and ammunition, four M-4 rifles were recovered in these encounters that include two in Pulwama, one each in Kulgam and Anantnag.
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