Pak ultra killed in Bandipore encounter
SRINAGAR: A foreign militant was killed in the forests of Bandipore after forces launched a search and cordon operation in the area on Tuesday morning.
This is the second operation in Bandipore in the last one week. Earlier, three militants, including a local, was killed in Shokbaba forest area. The latest militant, the police said, had escaped from the previous encounter on July 24.
The militant who was eliminated on Tuesday has been identified as Babar Ali of Pakistan’s Punjab province.
The police have recovered an AK rifle, two magazines, 40 rounds, a pouch, a wireless set and one medicine bag from the site of encounter.
Police release list of top 10 militants active in Valley
The Jammu-kashmir police have released a list of top 10 militants currently operating in the area.
Inspector general of police Vijay Kumar said the list includes both old and new militants operating in the Valley. “Top 10 targets: old terroristssalim Parray, Yousuf Kantroo, Abbas Sheikh, Reyaz Shetergund, Farooq Nali, Zubair Wani & Ashraf Molvi. New terroristssaqib Manzoor, Umer Mustaq Khandey and Wakeel Shah,” Kumar tweeted on Monday night.
Since January this year, forces have killed 84 militants, including a dozen of top commanders belonging to various militant groups, and the list shows the ones on the radar of the forces.
Saleem Parray, whose name figures on the top, is a resident of Hajin town and has been active for the past four years. He escaped several gunflights in Hajin area and its adjoining areas. Parray reportedly joined LET in 2017. He is accused of several civilian killings in the area. Parrey also allegedly helped foreign militants to establish base in Hajin.
Yousuf Kantroo alias Issah is a resident of Budgam and is operating
as the operational commander of Lashkar. He is among the few local militants holding a responsible position within Lashkar in the Valley. He has been dubbed as the A++ category militant. Militants have been categorised in different groups and A++ is the most dangerous of them.
Abbas Sheikh is reportedly currently working with LET and its offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF). Earlier, he was a part of Hizbul Mujahideen. He is also an
A++ militant commander.
Farooq Bhat alias Farooq Nali is a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander from Kulgam district. According to police, he is A++ category militant and was nominated as the commander of Hizb after the arrest of Naveed Babu last year. Mohammad Ashraf Khan or Ashraf Molvi is another top commander of Hizbul. Some officials believe he is currently acting as operational commander of Hizb and active in south Kashmir. Zubair Wani, 31,
is another Hizb commander from south Kashmir. According to police, Wani is an Mphil scholar who has been active for the past three years.