By IANS
Srinagar : Nine separatist guerrillas, including a top commander of the Harkatul Mujaheedin (HuM) militant outfit, and two troopers were killed Friday in four encounters in Jammu and Kashmir, police officials said.
Troops of the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and 2 Para regiment of the army surrounded a patch of forest near Dharamwari village in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, 110 km from here, Thursday night after receiving information about the presence of a group of militants, a police officer said.
“As the troops were searching the jungle, hiding militants opened heavy fire on them. The fire was returned and the fierce gunfight continued till Friday morning. So far, bodies of six militants have been recovered. Two troopers of 18 RR were also killed in the operation which is still on,” the officer said Friday afternoon.
“Troops are busy searching the jungle area, as we have reports about the presence of some more militants,” he added.
In another incident, Sajad alias Chacha, division commander of the HuM, was gunned down by troopers of the 18 Rashtriya Rifles, 10 Para regiment and Special Operations Group (SOG) during a joint operation at Shokbagh, 64 km from here in north Kashmir’s Bandipore district.
The officer added that one civilian identified as Showkat Ahmad was wounded Friday in an exchange of fire between troops of 9 RR and militants at Pranhal village, 80 km from here, in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. Ahmad was taken to a hospital for treatment.
A defence spokesman said two infiltrators were shot dead Friday by troops on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Machil sector of Kupwara district.