Nine militants killed in six encounters in J&K

Nine militants, including a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander, were killed in six encounters in Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said on Wednesday. Five infiltrating militants were among seven ultras killed in four separate encounters with security forces in Kashmir valley, while a self-styled section commander of Hizbul Mujahideen and an infiltrator were killed in Jammu region since last evening, the spokesman said.

The slain militant commander identified as Noor Mohammed alias Mansoor was gunned down in a gunbattle in Doda district.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 here, in the wee hours, but army troops confronted them and in the ensuing firefight, which is still continuing three 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 ultras and security forces at Furkhan near Trehgam, 150 kms from here this morning. He said two infiltrators were killed in Keran sector, 140 kms from here in Kupwara last evening. Troops also launched a search operation in Didan Gali in Pirpanjal sector of South Kashmir this morning. As the troops were engaged in combing operation, militants hiding there opened fire, the spokesman said adding the troops retaliated. The gunbattle was going on but there were no reports of any casualty so far.

Defence sources said militant commanders in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) are "desperate" to push militant groups into the valley to foment trouble in the valley where the level of violence has come down in the recent past. They said engagement of army troops in as many as five places in the valley indicated that infiltrators are waiting in the wings to cross over into India taking advantage of the weather conditions. The peaks along the LoC gets blocked due to snow and infiltration becomes almost impossible during winter months.