Srinagar: A top commander of Lashker-e-Toiba was among two militants killed in a brief gunfight with government forces at Nowgam in outskirts of Srinagar on Thursday.
Reports said that a joint team of police’s Special Operation Group and army’s 55 Rashtriya Rifles launched a joint cordon-and-search-operation at Nowgam’s Aribagh area following a specific input about the presence of militants.
As the joint team was strengthening the CASO, they said, the militants, hiding in the area, opened fire which was retaliated, triggering off an encounter. Two militants were killed in the gunfight that lasted for few minutes, they said.
They said one of the slain militants has been identified as LeT commander Abu Ismail, who police says was responsible for the attack on a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in July that left eight dead and several injured. The identity of the second militant is being ascertained, they added.
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