Second fidayeen killed, gunbattle ends in Kashmir

Srinagar, Oct 12 (UNI) The nearly 12-hour-long gunbattle between the securty forces and militants at a CRPF camp here ended this morning with the killing of the second 'fidayeen'.

CRPF spokesman Prabhakar Tripathi told UNI that the second fidayeen was killed at around 0600 hrs soon after the resumption of the operation this morning.

One militant was killed last evening immediately after the two fidayeen stormed the CRPF camp at hotel Boulevard on the banks of the Dal lake.

The security forces had suspended the operation for the night yesterday.

Mr Tripathi said the identification of the slain militant was been ascertained. However, he added that the two militants were believed to be Pakistani nationals.

The CRPF spokesman said two AK-47 rifles, eight magazines and four granades were seized from the two fidayeen.

The banned Pakistan-based Laskhar-e-Toiba has claimed responsibilty for the attack Lashkar spokesman Dr Abdullah Ghaznavi phoned several media organisations here claiming that three cadres of his group had stormed the CRPF camp, killing and wounding several security personnel.

The attack came barely few hours ahead of the beginning of a three-day unilateral ceasefire declared by the Muzaffarabad-based United Jehad Council on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr.

The attack also came at a time when Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was hosting an iftar party at the Sher-i-Kashmir international convention centre, a few km away from the CRPF camp.

UNI