J&K: LeT, Hizbul commanders among 6 terrorists killed in Shopian encounter

Jammu, Nov 25: Six terrorists have been neutralised in an encounter between security forces & terrorists in Kapran Batagund area of Shopian district, Jammu and Kashmir.

Five of the terrorists have reportedly been identified as LeT district commander Mushtaq Mir, Hizb district commander Abbas Ali, Hizb deputy chief in Shopian Waseem Wagay urf Saif Ullah, Omar Majeed Gani and Khalid Farooq urf Talha. The sixth one is suspected to be a Pakistani militant.

Hizbul commander Umar Majeed Ganaie alias Hanzalla, whose selfie in front of Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar surfaced on Thursday last week, was among those killed.

The bodies of four slain terrorists have been recovered from the encounter site and a massive combing and search operation is currently underway in the area.

Meanwhile, mobile internet services have been suspended in south Kashmir's Shopian district.

An army official said security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the area following specific information about the presence of terrorists."We've seized huge cache of arms," Shopian SSP Sandeep Chaudhary said after the encounter. "Initially, one jawan of the 34 Rashtriya Rifles sustained injuries in the exchange of fire. He was rushed to the hospital and is stable now. One jawan, identified as Naik Nazir Ahmad of 34 RR, has succumbed and attained martyrdom."

However, residents of Shopian resorted to violence after the encounter ended and pelted stones at the convoy of security forces as they were leaving the area.

On Friday, six terrorists, including a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Sekipora area of Bijbehara in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. A heavy stash of arms and ammunition were also recovered on them, including six weapons.

On Tuesday, four terrorists were killed in another encounter between terrorists and security forces at Nadi Gam village in Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir. One Army jawan was killed in the fierce gunbattle.