Army convoy ambushed; LeT claims responsibility
By News Agency of Kashmir
Srinagar : At least three militants, including a Battalion Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, were killed in two separate gun battles across Kashmir Valley, since last 24 hours.
One solider was injured when militants opened fire on an army convoy at in Baramulla district of North Kashmir. Lashker-e-Toiba has claimed the responsibility of the attack and said that it managed to inflict heavy causalities on the troops.
Two Lashker-e-Toiba militants were killed in a joint operation in Madoora, Tral area of Pulwama district, while another militant was gunned down in Matibugh village of Kulgam district; official sources told News Agency of Kashmir.
Giving details sources, quoting DSP Tral Muhammed Rashid, said that based on specific inputs police, CRPF and 42 RR launched a joint operation in village Medoora, early this morning.
When the troops were cordoning of a suspected hideout, militants resorted to indiscriminate firing triggering a fierce encounter, they said adding, two militants were gunned down in the ensuing encounter, which lasted for more than eight hours.
Two AK Rifles and some arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. While identification of the slain militants was being ascertained, police said they belong to leT.
Reports said that two houses belong to Ghulam Rasool Mir son of Ghulam Qadir Mir and Mohammed Malik son of Ghulam Qadir Malik in village Medoora were also damaged in the encounter.
Police said that Hizb-ul-Mujahideen received a major blow in South Kashmir, when police and Army eliminated its Battalion Commander and arrested another militant.
Superintendent of Police Kulgam, SP Pani told News Agency of Kashmir that intelligence inputs revealed that some militants were hiding in a house at Matibugh, Kulgam following which a joint operation was launched by police and 1-RR, late last evening.
The entire village was cordoned off and a close vigil was kept, he said adding, troops noticed two militants trying to break the cordon and were challenged. The militants instead opened fire on the troops leading to a gun battle.
One of the militant was killed, while another managed to escape from the spot, sources said adding, the slain militant was later identified as Sabzar Ahmed Malik alias Muzamil, Battalion Commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.
The Superintendent of Police claimed that the slain militant was ‘A’ category militant and an IED expert who was working directly under Sajad alias Tahir Maqsood.
One AK rifle, four magazines and some damaged mobile phones have been recovered from the slain militant. He further added that one more militant Pintoo Rashid has been arrested.
Meanwhile, unidentified militants ambushed an army convoy at Shri Baramulla when it was on its way from Baramulla to Uri, this afternoon.
Reports reaching here revealed that militants, believed to be two in number, opened indiscriminate firing on army convoy when it reached near Police Training Academy, Shri Baramulla.
One solider was injured in the militants firing, which was retaliated triggering an encounter. However, militants managed to escape from the site of the encounter.
A caller, identified himself a Dr Abdullah Gaznavi, spokesman of LeT claimed the responsibility of the attack. He told News Agency of Kashmir, over phone, that the cadre of LeT carried out the attack inflicting heavy causalities on the army.