Two JeM militants killed in Kashmir

Srinagar, Feb 14 (UNI) Two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants were killed by security forces in a fierce encounter in south Kashmir late last night, official sources said.

Militants attacked a police party at Pampore, about 12 km from here, on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway yesterday.

A police spokesman said troops of 50 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a joint operation at village Pastona, Tral, about 40 km from here, last evening.

As the security forces were sealing the village, the militants attacked them with automatic weapons and hurled hand grenades.

The forces retaliated and in the two-hour-long fierce clash, Bashir Ahmad Khan and Mohammad Yousuf Gujjar were killed.

One militant was a resident of Pakistan, he said adding, two AK-rifles, two magazines and 36 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.

However, a defence spokesman said both the militants belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) outfit.

In another incident, a police spokesman said a police party noticed suspicious movements of some militants at Galander in Pampore.

When challenged the militants opened fire which was returned.

But, the militants managed to escape under the cover of darkness, leaving behind two AK-rifles, two Chinese Pistols, four magazines and 50 rounds of ammunition.

UNI