Two Jaish chiefs among 3 ultras killed in Kashmir

Srinagar, Oct 9 (UNI) A self-styled Commander-in-Chief (Operations) and Operational Commander were killed in a fierce encounter in north Kashmir while the body of an ultra was recovered from the woods in central Kashmir today.

Troops of 22 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), 179 battalion CRPF and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police launched a joint operation at village Warpora, Sopore, about 55 km from here, in Baramulla district following a tip-off about the presence of militants there, a police spokesman said.

He said when the security forces were about to storm a particular house, they came under heavy fire from militants hiding inside. The fire was returned and in the fierce clash two JeM militants were killed.

One house was also damaged, official sources said, adding two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

Initial investigations revealed the identity of one of the slain militants as Zaheer Ahmad alias Pasha, A-9 resident of Haripora Pakistan a self styled Chief Operational Commander of JeM for Kashmir.

Pasha had been active in the valley since 1998 and was reportedly involved in various militant activities in the valley Another as Saifullah, alias Faisal, a resident of Faisalabad, Pakistan, Operational Commander for Lolab. Two AK 47 rifles, seven AK magazines, 180 AK rounds, one wireless radio set and two pouches were recovered from the encounter site. A case was also registered.

The spokesman said the body of a militant, killed in an encounter recently, was recovered from the woods at Lawnaz forest in Ganderbal district.

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