HuM chief (opr), top JeM commander soldier among 5 killed in Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 12 (UNI) A self-styled Chief Operational Commander (COC) of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), a top commander of Jaish-e- Mohammad (JeM) and a soldier were among five people killed in the Kashmir valley overnight.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Sopore, said a search operation was launched by Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police at Sopore, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir district of Baramulla, following a tip-off about the presence of militants.

However, when the area was being sealed, the militants opened fire. Later troops of 22 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) joined the operation and the cordon was further tightened.

He said during the night-long operation, three militants of HuM were killed. One of the slain militants has been identified as Usman Qari, COC of the HuM.

A large cache of arms and ammunition, including three AK rifles were recovered from the slain militants.

Official sources said a soldier was also killed and three jawans of SOG were injured in the encounter.

This was the third major encounter in north Kashmir district of Baramulla during the past one week. In two other encounters which continued for three days each, seven militants and six security personnel, including a Major, were killed and six soldiers wounded at Pattan and Sopore.

ASP Pulwama, said SOG and 55 RR killed a self-styled battalion commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in a night-long operation at Mandian in Pulwama.

He identified the slain commander as Mushtaq Ahmad alias Zahid.

One AK rifle and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militant.

UNI