8 militants, 2 soldiers killed in Kashmir firing in 24 hrs

A soldier and two militants were killed in an encounter in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday. In another incident, a soldier was killed after he was hit by a stone in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Thursday, while another soldier was killed in a standoff with militants in Tral, late on Thursday night.

As many as 13 militants, three soldiers and seven civilians have been killed in different militancy related incidents in Kashmir since Sunday. The civilians were killed in an explosion at an encounter site in Kulgam’s Laroo village, immediately after the gunfight in which three militants were killed got over and forces had left the area on Sunday.

On Friday morning, the army and police established a cordon around the Malganipora village in Behrampora on the outskirts of Sopore town after inputs were received about militant presence in the village.

Officials said the cordon and search operation turned into an encounter.

“Two militants were killed and one soldier also lost his life in the encounter. He identified the soldier as Lance Naik Brajesh Kumar from 22 Rashtriya Rifles. Barjesh was a resident of Himachal Pradesh’s Una district. The bodies of militants were handed over to police for identification,” defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said.

Kalia said two more soldiers lost their lives in south Kashmir’s Tral and Anantnag area.

“A soldier was killed and another injured in a standoff attack by militants on an army camp at Lurgam in Tral, late on Thursday night. The soldier was identified as Sepoy Ngamsiamliana of Mizoram. He had joined army five years ago.”

Defence spokesman said another soldier Rajinder Singh was fatally injured during stone pelting near Anantnag bypass trijunction on the national highway on Thursday evening.

“Around 6 pm, when the convoy was passing through the highway, few youths hurled stones at the vehicle and Sepoy Rajinder got injured after being hit by a stone. He was shifted to army’s base hospital where he succumbed to injuries,” he said, adding that Singh had joined army in 2016 and hailed from Uttrakhand.

A senior police officer, however, denied any incident of stone pelting in the area on Thursday evening.

MILITANTS KILLED IN AATHORA & ARWANI ENCOUNTER IDENTIFIED

Meanwhile, police have identified both the militants who were killed in an encounter at Aathora village in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday.

The two militants were identified as Akeel Ahmad Sofi of Khanpora in Baramulla and Minajul Mohidin of Brath Kalan in Sopore.

A police spokesman said both the militants were responsible for several militancy related attacks in Sopore and Sangrama.

Baramulla and Sopore town observed a shutdown against the killing of local militants.

Police also identified all the four militants killed in Arwani on Thursday as local militants, Sahir Makroo, Owais Ahmad Lone, Muzamil Magray and Amir Tantray, all affiliated with terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

Meanwhile, clashes erupted near the encounter site on Friday and police used tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters.