3 jawans, 11 militants die in 3 Kashmir encounters
Three Army jawans were killed on Sunday in separate encounters in south Kashmir, in which 11 militants, including “top commanders”, were also gunned down, police said.
Two civilians were also killed and dozens of others injured in clashes that broke out between protesters and security forces following three separate encounters in several parts of the region.
At a hurriedly called joint press conference of army, police and CRPF, Jammu and Kashmir Police chief SP Vaid said this is one of the biggest counter-offensive operations in recent times against terror groups operating in the Kashmir Valley.
The operations by security forces rendered a severe dent to militant groups such as the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashker-eTaiba, officials said in Srinagar.
Three army jawans have lost their lives in the operations at Kachdooru in Shopian, officials said, adding three bodies of militants have been recovered from the debris so far. The operation has been called off at Kachdooru and the security personnel will search the debris on Monday again, the officials said.
Earlier, at a press conference called at Victor Force headquarters
SRINAGAR:
at Awantipura, around 33 km from Srinagar, Corps Commander of XV Corps, Lt Gen AK Bhatt, termed it one of the biggest operations in recent times and said the death of Lt Umar Fayaz, who was brutally killed in Shopian last year, had been avenged.
“Among the militants killed are Ishfaq Malik and Rayees Thokar. They were responsible for his death,” Bhatt said.
Fayaz, 22, was killed by militants in May last year. His body was found with bullet wounds in the Hermain area of Shopian district in south Kashmir.
The DGP also made a special mention of an SSP’s efforts to convince a militant to surrender during the Dialgam encounter.
One civilian death was reported from Draggad and the other at Kachudoora.