5 Terrorists Gunned Down By Security Forces In Shopian In The Third Encounter In A Week
The India security forces have eliminated five terrorists in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Wednesday.The encounter followed a cordon-and-search operation that was launched in the Sugoo area of Shopian in south Kashmir in the morning after receiving specific information about the presence of militants in the area.?
The operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon a search party of the forces, who retaliated.Two militants were killed in the initial exchange of fire and the forces had gunned down three more by the time the last reports came in. Though the identities of the terrorists are yet to be ascertained, they are believed to be from Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashkar-e-Taiba.?
"Joint operation was launched at 0145h today based on JK Police intelligence. Cordon was laid and contact was established at 0530h. Security Forces eliminated three terrorists. Joint operation in progress," the Army said in a brief statement.This is the third major encounter in Shopian in four days. Nine Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a self-styled commander, were killed in two gun battles with the security forces recently.On Sunday five terrorists were killed in an encounter in the Reban village also in Shopian district.?
And on Monday in the same district, four terrorists were killed in the Pinjura village.In the past four days alone the Indian security forces have killed 14 terrorists in the valley and 25 in the last 15 days.?
Those eliminated by the Indian security forces include eight top commanders.Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK) commander Adil Ahmad Wani and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) cadre Shaheen Ahmad Thoker were killed on May 25 at Khud Hanjipora Kulgam while Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Parvaiz Ahmad Pandith and JeM commander Shakir Ahmed Itoo were neutralised on May 30 at Wanpora Kulgam.Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group commander Aaqib Ramzan Wani and Awanitpora JeM commander Mohammad Maqbool Chopan killed on June 2 at Saimoo Tral Awantipora.?
JeM top commander Fauji Bhai, a resident of Pakistan, Hizbul top commander Manzoor Ahmad Kar, JeM commander Javaid Ahmad Zargar were neutralised at Kangan Pulwama on June 3.Hizbul top commander Ishfaq Ahmad Itoo, JeM top commander Owais Ahmad Malik were killed on June 7 at Reban Shopian. Three Hizbul commanders- Adil Ahmad Mir, Bilal Ahmad Bhat and Sajad Ahmad Wagay were also neutralised in the same encounter.?
On June 7, Hizbul operation commander Umer Mohiudin Dhobi, LeT top commander Rayees Ahmad Khan along with commanders Saqlain Ahmad Wagay and Wakeel Ahmad Naikoo were eliminated at Reban Shopian.Apart from Fauji Bhai, all terrorists were locals of Jammu and Kashmir and most of them hail from districts of Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama.?
in addition to the 18 above terrorists, four more terrorists were neutralised in Rajouri on May 28 from a newly infiltrated group. Three were killed along LoC in Nowshera sector and one in Kalakote who had managed to reach the area after infiltrating from across the border.Three over ground workers (OGW) -- Muzaffer Ahmad Naik, Jan Mohd Najar and Azad Ahmad -- who worked for HM terror outfit were arrested by the Awantipora Police.?
