Eight militants, two soldiers among 12 killed in J

Srinagar, Sep 17 (UNI) Eight militants, three of them belonging to the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and two soldiers were among 12 people killed in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 24 hours.

A police spokesman said today that three Jaish ultras were killed in an encounter at Aderwal forests near Repedy Behak in Shopian area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district last evening.

The encounter erupted after a joint search party of the Jammu and Kashmir police and the Army's 3 Para was attacked by militants with automatic weapons and grenades, he added.

Two of the slain militants have been identified as Zahoor Ahmad Mir and Riyaz Ahmad Peer. However, the identity of the third ultra was yet to be established. He was believed to be a foreigner.

The spokesman said three AK rifles and as many magazines were seized from the possession of slain ultras.

In another encounter at Wahipora in the same district, security forces killed two militants identified as Firdous Ahmad alias Muna alias Murtaza and Shabir Ahmad Bhat alias Umar, he said.

The spokesman said two AK-47 rifles, one UBGL and four magazines were seized from the encounter site.

He said two militants were killed in a gun-battle with security forces and the police at Mir Mohalla, Chhalpora/Gori Akhad, Rajwar in Handwara area of frontier Kupwara district yesterday.

One of the slain militants was identified as Abu Wafa, a foreigner. A security personnel sustained wounds while the house of Mushtaq Ahmed Mir was also damaged in the gunfight, he added.

The spokesman said two AK rifles, as many magazines and 19 rounds were seized from the possession of slain ultras.

The Superintendent of Police (SP), Kupwara said two soldiers were killed and one wounded when troops of Army Service Corps (ASC) opened fire on each other following an altercation over some matter in Karnah tehsil of frontier Kupwara district today.

Giving details, he said ASC troops clashed with each other over some matter in border area of Karnah.

The altercation soon led the troops to open fire on each other, resulting in death of two soldiers and injury to another, he added.

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