By IANS,
Jammu : Two militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were killed by the army in a “surgical operation” in the mountainous forests of Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district Sunday, officials said.
The gunbattle took place in the forests of Sher Bibi near Banihal in Ramban district overlooking the vital Jammu-Srinagar national highway in the morning.
Army officials said that troops, after receiving inputs about the presence of some militants in the Sher Bibi forest about 190 km from Jammu, attacked the militants.
“The troops shot dead two militants while one soldier sustained minor injury in the leg,” an official said.
The militants have been identified as Qari Zubair, a top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, and the other as Nasir Ahmad, his close associate, the official said.
The troops are conducting extensive search in the area.
The Sher Bibi forest overlooks the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, which is the route for to and fro movement of security convoys and also the lifeline to the Kashmir Valley.
The highway was closed from 9 a.m. when the gunbattle was on.
The army has described the operation as a “big success” in their anti-militancy drive.
Two militants of same outfit were killed in an operation by state police on Jan 23 in the adjoining Doda district.