HuM top commander among four militants killed in Kashmir

Srinagar, Mar 19 (UNI) A self styled District Commander (DC) of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) was among four militants killed in two different encounters in the Kashmir valley today.

A defence ministry spokesman said troops and state police launched a joint operation at Putshahi, Lolab, in the frontier district of Kupwara last evening. During the operation, militants opened fire and took shelter in a house.

Operation was suspended last night due to darkness, he said adding it was resumed with the first light today.

Further details are awaited, he added.

However, a report from Barmulla said the house in which militants took shelter was blasted today by the security forces.

Both the militants hiding inside were killed, he said, adding troops of 62 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) launched a search operation at Check-Solian, Shopian, in the south Kashmir district of Pulwama early this morning following a tip off that some militants were hiding there.

However, when the troops were sealing the area, militants opened fire. The fire was returned and in the firing two militants were killed. Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

One of those killed was identified as DC of HuM, he said adding another was yet to be identified.

UNI