Two unidentified militants were killed in counter-militancy operations in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Pulwama districts on Thursday.
A police spokesman said a gunfight erupted in the morning at Meej in the Pampore area of Pulwama district when security forces launched a search and cordon operation to flush out the hiding militants. “One terrorist has been killed and another has entered a nearby mosque... The joint operation of the Army, the police and the CRPF is on in the area,” an Army spokesman said.
“An Imam of the mosque confirmed the presence of one militant. Appeals were made by the Imam and the security forces several times to the militants to come out and surrender but they didn’t. So far, we haven’t entered the mosque. Our forces have lobbed a few tear-gas shells inside the mosque. Cordon will continue,” Inspector-General of Police Vijay Kumar said.
In the other operation, a militant was killed at Bandapoh in Shopian in the afternoon. “Two to three militants are believed to be hiding in the area. The search operation is under way,” the police said.
The police have not identified the slain militants or the outfits they belonged to.
At least 19 militants have been killed in intensified counter-militancy operations in south Kashmir so far this month, with 17 killings reported from Shopian alone.
