Jaish-e-Mohammad duo killed in Kulgam gunfight

SRINAGAR: Two local Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were shot dead in an anti-terror operation in Awhatto area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after a Pakistani terrorist linked to the same outfit was killed in another encounter in the district’s Batapora village.

The slain JeM duo was identified as Mohammad Shafi Ganie of Kulgam’s Batpora and Mohammad Asif Wani alias Yawar of Kulgam’s Takia Gopalpora area. Both were categorised terrorists involved in several terror crimes, said ADGP (Kashmir Zone) Vijay Kumar.

Police seized two AK rifles and ammunition from the spot of the gunfight, the ADGP said.

Based on intelligence inputs, a joint team of the Army and J&K Police launched a cordon-and-search operation in Awhatto. As the security forces neared a suspected hideout, holed-up terrorists opened fire at the search party, triggering an encounter, added the ADGP.