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1 JeM militant killed in Jammu and Kashmir gunfight
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Verinag area of the south Kashmir district following specific information about the presence of militants there, the official said.
A Jaish-e-Mohammad militant was killed in a brief encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district Saturday, police said.
They said that security forces and militants faced off in Verinag area this morning. “Verinag encounter update: One terrorist affiliated with #proscribed #terroroutfit #JeM killed. #Incriminating materials including #arms & ammunition recovered. Identity being ascertained. Case registered,” the Kashmir police tweeted.
On Friday, police had claimed that four Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants including two runaway cops were killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district
The two special police officers (SPOs) - Mohammad Salman Khan of Shopian and Shabir Ahmad Dar of Pulwama – killed in the gun-fight were reported missing by police on Thursday before an encounter began at Panjran in Litter area of district Pulwama in the evening.
The encounter was a result of cordon and search operation launched by the security forces based on an input about the presence of militants in Panjran area.
On Thursday, suspected militants had killed a Territorial Army Jawan Manzoor Beg, who was at home on leave at Sadoora, Anantnag for Eid festivities.
A day earlier, on the day of Eid, suspected militants opened fire on a woman, Nigeena Bano and another person in Pulwama. Both were rushed to a hospital where Bano succumbed to her injuries.
On Monday, police said a militant and his associate travelling in a vehicle were killed in an encounter at a checkpoint in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
Security forces have killed 101 militants and their associates in counter-insurgency operations in the first five months this year, mostly based on intelligence inputs provided by informants, police officials said.
The list of neutralised militants includes 25 foreigners and 76 locals belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e- Toiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.
In 2018 and 2017, from January to May, security forces had managed to kill 70 and 57 militants, respectively.
