Jammu and Kashmir: 6 militants killed in Pulwama encounter

Pulwama, Dec 22: Six militants have been killed in an encounter at Arampora village in Pulwama district on Saturday.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Arampora village in Awantipora area of the south Kashmir district following specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists there, a police official said.

Swayam Prakash Pani, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), said six terrorists were killed in the encounter.

According to reports, one of the militants killed in the operation was identified as Soliha Mohammad, reportedly a top aide of militant Zakir Musa. Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind is a cell of Al-Qaeda operating in the Kashmir valley.

It may be recalled that last week, an encounter in Pulwama district, left seven civilians dead after the Indian Army opened fire during clashes that broke out following an operation. Three militants of Hizbul Mujahideen and an Indian Army soldier were killed in the operation on 15 December 2018.

One of the militants, Zahoor Ahmad Thokar, was a former Indian Army soldier of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry. He had joined Hizbul Mujahideen in June 2017.

(With PTI inputs)