Seven militants including chief of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH) were killed in two separate encounters in south Kashmir since Thursday night, police officials in J&K said.
According to police, five militants were killed in the first encounter that began in Shopian district late Thursday evening and is still continuing.
A senior police officer said that firing again started Friday morning between the two sides after the operation was suspended due to darkness late last night in Jan Mohalla area of the south Kashmir district.
Three militants, according to police, were killed right after the encounter began Thursday evening, while two more died today morning.
“#ShopianEncounterUpdate: Another #unidentified#terrorist killed (total 05). Search going on. Further details shall follow,” J&K police tweeted on its official handle.
The militants, according to police, were holed-up in a local mosque.
In the second encounter that raged between security forces and militants in Tral area of Awantipora police district, two militants including AGuH chief Imtiyaz Shah were killed, police said.
At least four army personnel have been injured, one of them critically, in the twin gunbattles.
The identity of most of these militants is yet to ascertained even as police has only revealed Imtiyaz’s name.
According to officials, both the gunfights were triggered after armed forces launched a cordon and search ops in the areas following which resulted militants opened fire ensuing the gunfights.
