3 MORE ARMY JAWANS DIE IN AMBUSH

Militants of the proPakistan Hizbul Mujahideen terror group ambushed an army convoy, killing three personnel and wounding five others, including two officers, in South Kashmir’s Shopian district on Thursday. A civilian caught in the crossfire was also killed.

The incident happened around 2 am when the Army personnel were returning after cordon and search operations at Kungnu village of Shopian, about 60 km from Srinagar.

Sources said when the Army convoy was returning to its base, it was ambushed by militants in Molu locality near Chitargam.

The Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit claimed responsibility for the ambush. A caller, who said he was a spokesman for the outfit, told a news agency that its operatives had carried out the attack.

Militants of proPakistan Hizbul Mujahideen terror group ambushed an army convoy, killing three personnel and wounding five others.

In the gun battle that ensued, three soldiers — Lance Naik Ghulam Mohiuddin Rather, hailing from Bijbehara in South Kashmir, Sapper M.J. Sreejith, a resident of Palakkad in Kerala and Sepoy Vikas Singh Gurjar of Rajasthan — were killed besides a woman, who was caught in the crossfire.

Two officers — Lt Colonel Mukesh Jha and Major Amardeep Singh — are among the five injured army personnel. The condition of the Major and a soldier was stated to be critical.

The woman killed in the encounter has been identified as Jana Begum. Army has lost nine personnel to militancy in a fortnight, including those killed on Thurs-day.

While two army jawans were killed on February 5 during an operation which left four Hizbul Mujahideen militants dead, February 14 saw an army Major being killed in an encounter at Kupwara of North Kashmir. The same day, three army personnel were killed when they came under heavy fire from militants.