Six militants killed in three encounters in J-K

Srinagar: Six militants including a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander were killed in three separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

Two infiltrating militants were among four militants killed in two separate encounters with security forces in Kashmir Valley.

A self-styled section commander of Hizbul Mujahideen identified as Noor Mohammed alias Mansoor was gunned down in a gunbattle in Doda district, official sources said. An AK 47 rifle and three magazines were recovered from the slain militant.

Another militant was killed by the Army during an infiltration bid across the LoC in the Poonch sector.

In the Valley, a group of heavily-armed militants from across the border sneaked into Tangdhar, 130 kms from Srinagar, in the wee hours, but Army troops confronted them and in the ensuing firefight two militants were killed, a defence spokesman said.

He said the operation was still going on.

The spokesman said two more militants were killed in an ongoing gunbattle between the militants and security forces at Furkhan near Trehgam, 150 kms from Srinagar on Wednesday morning.

He said Army troops launched a search operation in Didan Gali in Pirpanjal sector of South Kashmir on Wednesday morning.

As the troops were engaged in combing operation, militants hiding there opened fire on the troops who retaliated, the spokesman said adding the gunbattle was going on but there were no reports of casualties so far.

"Encounters are going on in different places in Karen sector. We killed two terrorists on Tuesday and on Wednesday morning, contact was established in Purkian Gali and two terrorists have been killed in the ensuing encounter. A third encounter is taking place in Tangdhar where till now three terrorist have been killed. The whole area is near the Line of Control and these people have been intercepted very close to the LoC fence." — Srinagar's Defence PRO Lt Colonel JS Brar to CNN-IBN

"Cross-border terrorism has never stopped. We will continue to take up this issue and we also take up this point. We can never compromise when it comes to the integrity of the country." — Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur to CNN-IBN