Hizbul Mujahideen commander killed in Kashmir

Srinagar, May 27 : A top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), who was an expert in making and planting Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and planned to target Amarnath pilgrims, was today killed by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) troops in a well-planned encounter, a defence ministry spokesman said.

He said troops of 3 RR conducted a search operation after receiving specific information that some top HM militants were holding a meeting at Batakote Ashmuqam on the Anantnag-Pahalgam road.

However, when troops were sealing the area, militants hiding in the village opened indiscriminate fire and also lobbed grenades.

Troops immediately strengthened the cordon and retaliated the fire during which a militant was killed.

The slain militant was identified as Monawar who was active in south Kashmir since 1997.

Intelligence inputs confirmed that he was planning to target yatris during the two-month long annulam Amarnath pilgrimage, commencing from next month.

Monawar, who was initially associated with Harkat-ul-Ansar (HUA), was a threat to the pilgrimage, the spokesman said.

He said the slain commander was an expert in making, planting and detonating IEDs and was involved in a number of militancy related incidents in the south Kashmir. One AK rifle and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militant.

UNI