A joint team of Police, Army's 19 Rashtriya Rifles and paramilitary CRPF had launched a cordon-and-search-operation in Runipora Khull Khulchohar area of the south Kashmir district early Monday morning.
As the joint team encircled the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them. The fire was retaliated, triggering off an encounter in which three militants were killed, the officer said. Among them includes Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Commander Masood of Doda district. Also Read: J&K Govt Order On 'Stocking Up LPG' Triggers Panic, Authorities Dispel Speculations | What's The Order & Why The Panic?
Among the weapons recovered, were one AK47 rifle and two pistols, showing that militants are not carrying usual arsenal and heavy ammunitions anymore. Security forces are attributing this to shortage of weapons.
Director General of Police Dilbag Singh confirmed that Masood “who had shifted his area of operation to Kashmir” was among the slain terrorists.
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“Doda district in Jammu zone becomes totally militancy free once again as Masood was last surviving (militant) of the district,” he said.
The other two slain were identified by sources as Tariq Khan of Lal Chowk Anantnag and Nadeem from Kulgam. However, official confirmation was still awaited.
IGP kashmir, Vijay Kumar said that the killings of militants and success is attributed to the professionalism of the forces and with two more days of the month still there, the number could go even higher.
The killing also takes the number of militants killed this year to 116 including six operational commanders of all militant outfits who have been killed in kashmir. While 132 militants have been killed in J&K during the period Pertinently, in last year till 04 August 2019, 133 militants were killed in the Valley.