Security forces personnel killed three suspected militants in Baramulla and Shopian districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Two suspected militants were killed in a gunfight in Baramulla’s Sopore township, while the other person was killed in an overnight encounter in South Kashmir’s Shopian district. Another militant was killed in the gunfight in Shopian on Friday.

The Kashmir Zone Police announced on Saturday that the two militants affiliated to the Jaish-e-Mohammad were killed in Sopore. “Arms and ammunition recovered. Identities of killed terrorists is being ascertained,” they said.

Advertisement

The police launched a cordon and search operation in Sopore’s Warpora area based on information about the presence of militants, a police officer told PTI. He said that the militants opened fire on security forces personnel, which led to a gunfight.

The militant killed in Shopian’s Pandushan area was identified as Manzoor Bhat, affiliated with the Hizbul Mujahideen, the Kashmir Zone Police announced. They said Bhatt was “involved in several terror crimes and attacks on security establishments”. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from this encounter site.

This operation began on Friday, when another militant was killed. The police identified him as Zeenatul Islam of the Jaish-e-Mohammad. Islam, also known as Zeenatul Islam Naikoo, was a resident of Shopian, a police officer said.

“Naikoo has a long history of terror crimes and several cases were registered against him, including relating to attack on police station Shopian, abduction of a civilian Shakoor Ahmad, killing of four policemen in Shopian and abduction and killing of civilian Tanveer Ahmad,” the officer told PTI.