4 militants killed in fresh exchange of fire with forces in Shopian

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service
Srinagar, August 4

Four more suspected militants were killed in a fresh gunfight at Kilora in Shopian district in south Kashmir on Saturday morning taking the militant toll in the operation to five.

On Friday evening, one top local Lashkar-e-Toiba militant was killed in the initial encounter between militants and security forces in the area.

The anti-militancy operation was launched on Friday evening on the basis of information about the presence of militants in the area.

“Four more militants have been killed at Shopian. A total of five militants have been killed so far,” Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said.

He said weapons had also recovered.

“The operation is continuing,” he added.

The identity of the four militants is being established.

On Friday evening, a top Lashkar militant, Umer Malik of Malikgund Shopian, who was active since August 2017 was killed.

Meanwhile, two suspects were detained by security forces at Panthachowk on the outskirts of Srinagar on Saturday morning and two hand grenades were recovered.

The two were being questioned, a security officer said.