26/11 mastermind’s kin among six ultras killed
NEPHEW OF LAKHVI, gunned down in Kashmir's Bandipora district in an encounter
Six Pakistani militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), including the nephew of Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, were gunned down in north Kashmir's Bandipora district on Saturday in an encounter in which an IAF Garud commando was also killed, officials said. Apart from Lakhvi's nephew, two Lashkar-eTaiba (LeT) commanders were also among the militants killed by the security forces, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police (DGP), S P Vaid, said. Security forces launched a search operation in Chandergeer village in Hajin area of the district after receiving specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said.
The search operation resulted in an encounter when the militants hiding there fired on the search party of the security forces, who retaliated. "Six LeT terrorists have been eliminated in Bandipora encounter," Vaid said. He said all the six militants killed in the encounter were Pakistanis. One of the terrorists named Owaid is the son of Zakir Rehman Maki and the nephew of Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, he said on Twitter. Two LeT commanders -Zargam and Mehmood -- were also eliminated in the operation, the DGP said, adding that the operation was a "success". Six weapons were also recovered from the encounter site.
Srinagar-based Defence Spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said an IAF Garud commando was also killed in the operation. "An IAF Garud commando was killed, while an army soldier was injured," he said. The Garud Commando Force is the special forces unit of IAF.
Disconnect between Pak Army HQ and Pak troops along LoC: Indian Army.
The Indian Army on Saturday told the Pakistani military that there appeared to be a "disconnect" between the Pakistan Army headquarters' intent and the actions of its troops along the Line of Control and asked it to address this "credibility gap". In a telephonic conversation over the hotline, Indian Army's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen A K Bhatt told his Pakistani counterpart that Indian troops will continue to take all retaliatory measures and "retain" the "right" to punitively respond to any provocative acts of transgression from the Pakistani side, the Army said. The unscheduled talks took place following a request from the Pakistani DGMO, who during the conversation, accused Indian security forces of resorting to unprovoked firing and targeting civilians in the Poonch sector, it said. Lt Gen Bhatt emphatically conveyed to Pakistan DGMO Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza that retaliatory firing by the Indian troops is carried out in response to unprovoked and repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the Army's Additional Directorate General of Public Information said in a statement.
It said Lt Gen Bhatt told the Pakistani DGMO that there appeared to be a "disconnect between the intent at the Pak GHQ (General Headquarters) which reiterates its desire for peace and the actions of Pak troops along the Line of Control, who resort to heavy firing without provocation."
He further exhorted Maj Gen Mirza to resolve this "existent credibility gap" to ensure that peace and tranquillity is maintained along the LoC. The Army said Lt Gen Bhatt clarified that Indian troops always maintain "impeccable standards of professionalism" and do not target civilians in any manner. Bhatt said that the Indian Army will continue its efforts to ensure peace and tranquility along the borders. The LoC in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a spurt in ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops and the Indian Army has been retaliating effectively to Pakistani actions.