LeT militant captured alive, 3 killed in Rafiabad encounter

Fayaz Bukhari

Srinagar Aug 27: A Pakistani militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was captured alive while three militants were killed in a fierce encounter with Army and police in Rafiabad forests in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district today.
Army’s 46 RR along with the additional reinforcement of 17 JaK Rif, 4 PARA, 35 RR had intercepted the group of militants after it fled from Bijhama Uri while one of their associates was killed in the area on Wednesday.
Four others had escaped from the spot but were later intercepted by the joint team of Army’s 32 RR, 9 PARA and SOG Rafiabad in the forest area of Rafiabad near Hamam and Markote villages.
Three members of the group were killed while one was captured alive after the gunfight. He has been identified as Sajjad alias Abu Abaidullah, a resident of Balochistan, Pakistan. He was captured alive after army fired tear smoke and chilly grenades inside the cave in which he had taken shelter when Army encircled the group.
Sajjad was brought to Srinagar tonight in an army chopper and landed at Sharifabad where from he was taken for interrogation. He has told his interrogators that he has done normal training (Darua Aaam) in Mansera and Daura Khas (Special training) in Muzaffarabad before he infiltrated into Kashmir a week ago through Uri sector of the Line of Control (LoC) along with 4 others who were killed.
Army recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition which include four AK- 47 rifles and two UBGLs.
A Defence spokesman said here that the efficacy of a robust counter infiltration grid has manifested in successful elimination of four terrorists and capture of one terrorist over a four days’ joint operation by the Army and JKP. “Based on intelligence inputs about presence of terrorists in the forested area of Rafiabad, at Kazinag Dhar Ridge, a search operation was launched by the Army on August 24 which forced the terrorists to move towards the higher reaches of the ridge. An effective cordon was established by the Army including Special Forces which were inducted by Helicopters to prevent the escape of terrorists”, he added.
The spokesman said: “First contact with the terrorists was established in the morning of August 26, resulting in elimination of one terrorist. In a slow and systematic operation owing to the difficult terrain and thick foliage, the forces re-established contact with the balance of the terrorists who had taken shelter inside a natural cave in the afternoon of August 26. After a deliberate operation by the Army and JKP which lasted till today afternoon, three more terrorists were eliminated while one terrorist was captured alive alongwith recovery of huge cache of war like stores which include four AK- 47 rifles and two UBGLs.”
The spokesman said that preliminary interrogation reveals that the captured terrorist is a 22-years old LeT operative and belongs to Pakistan. “The captured terrorist is now being taken for joint interrogation”, he added.

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