Hizbul Mujahideen “operation chief” Saif-ul-Islam Mir, who succeeded Reyaz Naikoo, was killed in an encounter in Srinagar on Sunday.
“During a search operation in Rangreth area of Srinagar, the presence of a terrorist was ascertained. He was given an opportunity to surrender. However, he fired indiscriminately. In the ensuing encounter, Saif-ul-Islam Mir alias Dr. Saif alias Ghazi Haider, a resident of Malangpora, affiliated with Hizb was killed,” IGP Vijay Kumar told The Hindu.
Mir was Hizb’s chief operational commander and had been active since 2014. “He was involved in many terror crimes besides being instrumental in recruiting innocent youth into the terror folds,” IGP Kumar said.
DGP Dilbag Singh described the killing as a “major success”. “The Hizb outfit is once again leaderless,” he said.
The slain ‘commander’ was nominated after the killing of Hizb chief Reyaz Naikoo on May 6.
“He was involved in the killing of many innocent people, including three policemen and two truck drivers who were attacked after the dilution of Article 370,” the DGP said. Mr. Singh said he was also behind the killing of three BJP workers in a militant attack in Kulgam district this week.
Saifullah was the last surviving militant who figured in the group pictures of Hizb ‘commander’ Burhan Wani, killed in an encounter in 2016. “We were tracking his movement for the last two days. I would like to congratulate the Anantnag police for tracking his movements,” Mr. Singh said.
According to the police, around 200 militants have been killed this year so far.
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The body of the slain militant was sent to Baramulla for burial and the last rites after completion of medico-legal formalities. “The nearest family members of the killed terrorist shall be allowed to participate in the last rites at Baramulla,” the police said.
There were inputs that Dr. Saifullah and his men were planning to attack some more security installations and civilian areas in the Valley, the DGP said.
“Militancy in north Kashmir is at its last stage. We have the upper hand as militancy is almost under control. I hope Kashmir will be a free region soon. There will be no changes in anti-militancy operations in Kashmir valley despite the upcoming winter,” DGP Singh said.
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