2 militants shot down in Kupwara

At least, two militants have been killed in a fire fight raging in Qaziabad woods of Jammu and Kashmir’s frontier district of Kupwara since Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, a Central Reserve Police Force ( CRPF) jawan was injured when attacked with an axe by unknown assailants apparently with the intention to snatch his service rifle outside the deputy commissioner’s office in southern Kulgam district on Thursday. But the jawan resisted the assailants and foiled their attempt, the police said. The Army and police officials said that a gun fight broke out between militants and security forces in Qaziabad forest area of Kupwara’s Handwara region at around dawn on Thursday. “So far, two terrorists have been killed,” a defence spokesman here said.

The Army said that the militants had earlier on Wednesday night opened fire at a patrol party of its 32 Rashtriya Rifles in the area, without causing any casualties. The reinforcements after laying siege to the area began a search operation during which a gunfight broke out between militants and security forces. “After targeting the Army patrol party the terrorists fled into nearby woods where a gun fight is underway since this morning,” the defence spokesman said. He added, “The bodies of two terrorists have been found in the area. Their identities are being ascertained.”

The Army’s Northern Command tweeted, “Two # Terrorists killed. Operation in progress.”

Meanwhile, the residents of Gundibagh village in Kakapora area of southern Pulwama district have alleged that the Army tried to set the house of a local militant ablaze during the intervening night of May 30 and 31.