JCO, four jawans killed in encounters
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Nov 10 — At least 18 persons, including 10 militants, seven Army men and a policeman were killed in separate incidents of militancy in the Kashmir valley since yesterday. The security forces recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition during search operations.

Five militants were killed in an encounter with the Army in Panjua forest of Kupwara district last evening, a defence spokesman said here today. The identity of those killed was yet to be ascertained.

Sources said those killed were believed to be foreigners. Three AK rifles, 12 magazines with 187 rounds, a universal machine gun (UMG), two pistols, two magazines with 19 rounds, 30 rifle grenades, two AK rifle grenade launcher attachments and a radio set were recovered from the site.

Five militants were killed in a daylong encounter with the security forces at Sangrama near Sopore in the Baramulla district yesterday. Three of them are reported to be locals. The identity of two others is yet to be ascertained. Those identified include Fayaz Ahmad Dar, "district commander" of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Ghulam Hassan Bhat, alias Khalid, a Abu Bilal, alias Zahid of Lashkar-e-Toiba.

Four AK rifles, two magazines and three hand grenades were recovered from the site of the encounter. Two BSF jawans were injured in the encounter, the police here said. Reports said three houses were damaged. Three civilians were injured.

The police said the security forces cordoned off the village on the receipt of information that some militants were hiding in the house of Fateh Khan. The security personnel were fired upon during search operations, which led to the encounter.

In another encounter between the militants and the security forces, at least four Army jawans were killed at Karnah in Kupwara district last night. Three Army men and a civilian were injured.

A JCO (Junior Commissioned Officer) was killed and a jawan injured in an encounter with militants at Wakoora, Ganderbal, 25 km from here in Srinagar district. A residential house was damaged.

Unidentified gunmen killed a policeman and injured another in an attack on a police station at Pattan in Baramulla district yesterday. The policeman killed has been identified as Azad Ahmad and injured Ghulam Mohammad Bhat.

The security forces recovered a large haul of arms and ammunition from a hideout near Kupwara last evening. The recoveries included an RPG launcher, 22 RPG rockets, a sniper rifle with ammunition, 51 rifle grenades, nine hand grenades, a stick grenade, a disposable rocket, 23 kg of explosive, 37 metres of cordex, 53 detonators and 10 remote control devices.