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  • Back to back gunfights rattle South Kashmir

    Top Hizb commander, his aide, missing youth killed in fresh encounter in Shopian, says police, another gunbattle rages in Tral, 100 militants killed since January, 21 alone in Ramadhan

    Sopore, May 31: The back to back gunfights have left various parts of south Kashmir rattled with a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander, his aide and a missing youth getting killed in a fresh gunfight in Sugan area of Shopian district, top police officials told KNO.

    Today’s Shopian encounter was 15th one in a row in the ongoing fasting month of Ramadhan that saw the killing of 21 militants and a missing youth. Since January this year, the number of militants killed has reached 100, officials privy to the figures revealed to KNO.

    According to KNO, a joint team of forces including 44 RR, CRPF and SOG Sugan area of Zainapora launched search operation after having specific inputs about the presence of militants in the area. “On intensifying search operation towards the suspected spot, hiding militants fired upon forces triggering an encounter,” a police official said. “After initial exchange of fire two bodies were recovered. After seven hours in fresh firing one more militant was killed,” he added.

    The police identified the slain militants as a top Hizbul commander Abid Manzoor Magray alias Saju Tiger son of Manzoor Ahmed of Nowpora, Payeen, Pulwama and Bilal Ahmed Bhat resident of Urmulla, Lassipora, Pulwama and Jasim Rashid Shah.

    A police spokesman said that Abid had a history of militancy since 2016 and was involved in many incidents. “Jasim as per police records and inputs available with police coupled with the family version was missing since yesterday afternoon and was part of this group,” police said.

    Police sources said that Saju Tiger was a close aide of chief operational commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Riyaz Naikoo. Meanwhile, clashes between protestors and government forces rocked Shopian areas especially the natives villages of two slain militants, witnesses told KNO.

    As a precautionary measure, mobile internet services have been snapped in Shopian district, the officials said. Meanwhile, another gunfight raged in Nanar village of Midoora area of Tral in Awantipora that falls in Pulwama district.

    Sources said that a joint team of Army’s 42 Rashtriya Rifles, special operations group (SOG) and CRPF launched cordon and search operation in Nanar, Midoora area of Tral following specific information about the presence of some militants in the area.

    “As the forces intensified the searches, militants hiding in the area opened fire, leading to a gunfight which was going on when this report was filed, they said. The army has already rushed more reinforcements in the area,” they said.

    A police officer confirmed the encounter has started stating that the cordon was launched following specific inputs in the village. “Intermittent exchange of fire was on when this report was being filed. No casualties have been reported so far in the operation,” officer added. As per sources two militants JeM outfit are believed to be trapped in the encounter. Meanwhile authorities snapped the mobile internet services in Awantipora area of Pulwama.(KNO)

  • Fresh encounter at Tral, 2 JeM militants believed to be trapped

    Tral, May 31 : A fresh encounter broke out between militants and government forces at Nanar Midoora Tral in south Kashmir district.

    Sources told KNO that two militants JeM outfit are believed to be trapped in the encounter.
    The operation was jointly launched by 42 RR of Indian Army,Awantipora Police and CRPF. (KNO)

  • Zainapora gunfight:- one more militant killed, toll reaches 03

    Shopian, May 31: One more militant has been killed in an ongoing operation in orchards of Dragad area of shopian district taking death toll to three.

    An official told KNO that a joint team of forces including 44 RR, CRPF and SOG Zainapora launched search operation after having specific inputs about the presence of militants in the area.

    On intensifying search operation towards the suspected spot, hiding militants fired upon forces triggered an encounter, he said.

    “After initial exchange of fire two dead bodies were recoverd whose identification is being ascertained,” the official told KNO.

    He said fresh firing had started in the orchards resulting in killing one more militant.
    Meanwhile clashes erupted in the area between protestors and government forces in the area.

    As a precautionary measure mobile internet services have been snapped in the district. (KNO)

  • From Jan 1 to May 30: Kashmir witnesses 45 encounters, near 100 militant killings

    19 militants killed in Ramadhan alone, two militants slain in Sopore gunfight identified as locals from LeT

    Sopore, May 30 (KNO) : This is year so far, a close to 100 militants have been killed in 45 encounters that took place across Kashmir since January while as in today’s encounter both the slain militants were identified as locals from Lashkar-e-Toiba, a militant outfit.

    Top police officials privy to the figures, told KNO, that since January in a series of anti-militancy operations launched by the security agencies on the basis of credible leads about the presence of militants.

    “Till May 29, 95 militants were killed and in the fresh gunfight at Sopore, two more militants belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba were gunned down taking the total number of militants killed this year so far 97,” the officer told KNO, wishing not to be named. He said all the operations were launched on the basis of stepped up human intelligence supported by technical intelligence.

    Another police officer while divulging the details about Sopore encounter said that two local militants were killed in a gunfight with government forces in Dangerpora, Sopore village of Baramulla district. He said the duo was affiliated with Lashkar-e-Tobia. The officials identified the slain as Naseer Ahmad, a resident of Brath, Sopore and Muhammad Shafi of Warpora village of Sopore.

    A police official told KNO that acting on a credible input, the forces launched a cordon and search operation in Dangerpora village. “During the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter,” he said. “In the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.”

    Sources in the police said that Sopore encounter was 12th one in this Ramadhan that saw the killing of 19 militants alone. “In total, 45 encounters were witnessed so far,” he said. Pertinently, in militants managed to give a slip to forces in Shopian and Kulgam districts yesterday after massive protests broke out that the gunfight sites resulting in the injuries to scores of youth. Meanwhile, thousands of people reached the native villages of two slain Lashkar militants to participate in their funerals, witnesses told KNO.(KNO)

  • Kashmir issue close to our hearts, linking it with terrorism violation of international law: OIC

    Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Thursday said the Jammu and Kashmir issue “is close to our hearts” and “linking it with terrorism is a violation of international law”.

    “The Jammu and Kashmir crises is close to our hearts and is one of the most important issues on the agenda of the organization of Islamic Cooperation, and therefore our commitment to the Jammu and Kashmir cause has been and will remain firm,” said OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen.

    He said Kashmir movement is a “legitimate struggle” of the people for the realization of their rights and independence and fully in conformity with the resolution of the United Nations and international law.

    “Attempts to suppress or degrade it by linking it to terrorism are, therefore, futile and in violation of United Nations resolutions and International law,” he said during his speech to the Ministerial Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir on the sidelines of the 14th Islamic Summit in the holy city of Mecca.

    Batting for a dialogue to resolve the issue, the OIC Secretary General said: “I hope that a genuine dialogue between Pakistan and India will resume, which will be the best framework for addressing all outstanding issues, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” he said.

    Calling Kashmir as an important agenda of the OIC, Dr Yousef also asked India to “cease” using force against unarmed Kashmiri people.

    “The OIC General Secretariat has continued to highlight in all its engagements in the international forums that it is necessary to ensure that India ceases to use force against innocent and defenseless civilians in Kashmir and stop its disregard for human rights laws,” he said.

    The General Secretary said that OIC will continue to work towards a peaceful solution to the Kashmir conflict.

    “The OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission will also continue to monitor serious violations of human rights in Kashmir and will continue to raise it with other international human rights bodies.”

    He said that they are following with deep concern the bloody events against the security of the people of the Jammu and Kashmir, the developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the conditions of the Rohingya, the Muslim peoples in Turkish Cyprus, Bosnia and Kosovo and the situation of Muslim societies in the rest of the world.

    India has in the past asked the OIC not to make references to Kashmir, saying it was an internal matter.

  • Gunfight breaks in Sopore village, Internet Suspended, Educational Institutions Closed

    Sopore, May 30: An encounter broke out between government forces and hiding militants on Thursday morning in Sopore village of north Kashmir.

    Reports reaching to KNO said that a joint team of Army’s 22RR, Special Operation Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police and paramilitary CRPF laid a siege to Banpura, Dangerpora village of Sopore in the early hours.

    “As the search was intensified, the hiding militants fired some shots towards forces which was retaliated resulting in an encounter in the area,” a police official told KNO. Sources said two LeT militants are believed to be trapped in the encounter.

    Meanwhile, in wake of the encounter, the authorities closed the educational institutions in the area while as internet services were snapped as well. (KNO)

  • Shopian CASO called off amid killing of civilian, injuries to several others

    Srinagar, May 30: The government forces on Thursday called off the search operation as there was no militant found present at Gugloora area of Pinjura in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

    A civilian was killed and several others were injured in government forces action during a cordon-and-search operation late Wednesday evening at Gugloora.

    Locals told GNS that government forces resorted to teargas shelling, pellets and live ammunition to disperse the protesters. Sajad Ahmad Parray son of Ali Mohd Parray of Buderhama village along with several others sustained critical injuries and were taken to district hospital Shopian.

    Sajad was declared brought dead on arrival by the government at the hospital, they said.

    Some other critically injured person were referred to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment, they said.

    Meanwhile, the joint team of army’s 44 RR, SOG and CRPF carried searches in the village but there was no militant present following which the operation has been called off. The situation in the area was tense, local sources said.

    A police officer told GNS that operation has been called off in the area and investigations would be done to ascertain facts as regards the killing of civilian and injuries to others.

    “The probe will encompass circumstances leading to use of force,” the officer added. (GNS)

  • Kashmiri youth believed to have joined IS captured in Syria, family seeks help for his release

    A Kashmiri family has sought the help of the police to bring back their son who they said has been arrested along with a number of IS fighters in Syria by the US-led coalition forces.

    The youth was identified as Aadil Ahmad Wada of Jawahar Nagar locality of the Srinagar city, Economic Times reported on Wednesday.

    “Wada is believed to have informed his family about the development through an audio message on March 25,” said the report.

    According to the media report, the family approached Jammu & Kashmir Police and other agencies seeking help to bring their son back. They have also sought an appointment with Governor Satya Pal Malik in this regard.

    “Aadil, who has an MBA from Queensland University in Australia, is believed to have joined ISIS in 2013, when he allegedly misinformed his family that he got a job in an NGO in Turkey, after struggling to find one in Australia, Qatar and Dubai,” the media report said.

    Aadil has informed his family that he along with over 1,500 ISIS fighters and their families were captured by the US-led forces in March in Syria.

    “They were surrounded by the US forces and asked to surrender. Then they performed Istikhara (a prayer recited by Muslims when in need of guidance in life) and decided to surrender along with their weaponry as many women and children were part of this large group,” Fayaz Ahmad Wada, father of Aadil, who was in touch with him till March 25, was quoted as having said by the report.

    He had married a Dutch national in Syria.

    “Aadil’s five-year old son died before they were captured. They couldn’t get enough food for him to survive during this journey. He had probably suffered extreme suffocation,” it said.

    “We were in touch with him but they have now been kept in a prison, probably at a US base in Syria. Women and children are in a separate refugee camp. His wife is also in the refugee camp and he was pleading to convey his messages to her if she manages to get in touch with the family,” Aadil’s father has told ET.

    The authorities have reportedly informed the family that the process would be started after a new government assumes office in New Delhi.

  • 20 youth injured in clashes during CASO in Shopian

    At least twenty youth were injured in clashes with the security forces during a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) at a village in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Wednesday.

    A police official said that security forces laid a siege around Pinjura village following the information about the presence of militants in the area.

    He said that as forces started a search operation, some young men hit the streets and started throwing stones on the forces to disrupt the operation.

    Local residents told that the forces fired pellets and tear gas to chase away the protesters.

    They said at least twenty youth were injured in the clashes.

    The operation was underway way when this report was being filed.

    Meanwhile, authorities blocked cellular internet services in the area.

  • Three rounds of funeral offered for Zakir Musa

    Tral, May 24 (KNO) : Three rounds of funerals were held for Zakir Musa so far in his native village.

    People in thousands are attending the funerals amid sobs.

    The body of militant commander- Zakir Musa was handed over to his family today morning.

    “So far three rounds of funerals were held for him (Musa). But people are reaching his village to participate in the funerals. People are assembling in groups to offer funeral prayers for him,” a local resident told KNO.

    He said the body will be buried after Friday prayers.(KNO)