Top commander among 4 Lashker militants killed in north Kashmir

Srinagar, Jun 2 (UNI) A top commander and three other foreign militants of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed by the security forces in north Kashmir today, official sources said.

They said the Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police and 32 Rashtriya Rifles launched a joint operation at village Wateragam in north Kashmir this morning, following a tip-off about the presence of the militants.

When the security forces were sealing the area, the militants opened fire and also hurled hand grenades. The fire was returned and in the fierce encounter, two militants, identified as Muslim alias Haji and Khalid Bhai, both resident of Pakistan were killed. Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

They said another joint operation was launched at Chuntipora, Handwara, in the frontier district of Kupwara.

During the operation, an encounter ensued in which a self-styled District commander Usman Bhai and Abu Jibran were killed. A large cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants, also residents of Pakistan.

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