FIVE PAKISTANI SOLDIERS, TWO HIZB MILITANTS KILLED BY ARMY

The Indian Army on Thursday killed five Pakistani soldiers in retaliatory firing on the border in Jammu and Kashmir, army sources said.

The firing took place in Bhimber and Battal sectors, the sources said.

Earlier in the day, two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were also killed by the army around 3.30am, hours after a police party was targeted in Sopore area of north Kashmir at their behest.

Director general of police S P Vaid said the slain militants were locals who belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen and were behind an attack on a police party.

“Yesterday, a grenade attack was carried out on a police deployment party in Sopore town in which four policemen were injured,” Vaid told reporters.

“The description of assailants and CCTV footage helped in identifying and arresting two persons, including one who had hurled the grenade at the police party,” the DGP said.

He said during interrogation, the arrested persons provided information about the hideout of the militants.

“The security forces laid a cordon around the area. Asthey were closing in on the house where the militants were hiding, they (militants) opened fire. The security forces retaliated, leading to death of the two militants,” the police chief said.

Meanwhile, army chief general Bipin Rawat arrived hin Srinagar on Thursday to review the security situation in Kashmir and along the Line of Control.