By IANS,
Srinagar : A top guerrilla commander and two of his associates – all foreign nationals – were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, the army said Tuesday.
“Three foreign terrorists, including a divisional commander, were killed and three weapons recovered in a joint operation launched by 21 Rashtriya Rifles and state police’s Special Operations Group Monday in Rajpora village of Kupwara,” said a defence spokesman.
He said the operation was launched following specific intelligence about presence of three foreign terrorists in the Ganai mohalla of the village of Handwara area.
“The terrorists were holed up in a house in the village where they were challenged and given an opportunity to surrender. Contact was established with the terrorists opening up fire at the army troops at approximately 4.30 p.m. yesterday (Monday),” he said.
“Security forces retaliated and heavy firefight ensued, which continued throughout the night,” added the spokesman.
In the early hours of Tuesday, the house where the militants were hiding, caught fire.
During search operations later, three charred bodies along with three burnt AK-47 rifles and 10 burnt magazines were recovered from the site, the spokesman said.
“The terrorists have been identified as Abu Waqas, divisional commander, Qari Numan and Obeid, all of them being foreign terrorists. Moreover, at the time of the search, a grenade exploded from within the debris, resulting in minor injuries to two army soldiers. The operations were surgical with no collateral damage,” the spokesman said.
He said Srinagar Corps commander Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh has commended the soldiers and commanders of the army involved in the operations and appreciated the police personnel’s commitment.