Sameer Ahmad
Anantnag, June 29: Hizb-ul-Mujahideen top commander was among three militants killed in a gunfight with joint team of police and army in Anantnag district of south Kashmir.
As per officials, a joint team of Police, Army’s 19 RR and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search-operation in Runipora area of the south Kashmir district late last night.
As the joint team encircled the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them which was retaliated, triggering off an encounter. Three militants were killed and included Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Commander Masood of Doda district. The other two were identified by sources as Tariq Khan of Lal Chowk Anantnag and Nadeem from Kulgam. Except for Masood, the slain militants were not identified officially. A top police officer said that with the Masood’s killing, Doda district has become “militancy-free” as he was the only surviving militant there. Their killing also take the number of militants killed this year to 116.