Srinagar
Two militants including a nephew of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief have been confirmed dead in the gunfight with government forces at Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Earlier the reports suggest that three militants were killed in the encounter, but police have confirmed the killing of two militants.
While police said that it was establishing the identity of the slain, the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant outfit in a statement issued here to GNS confirmed one of the slain to be the nephew of outfit’s Chief Masood Azhar.
Identified as Mohammad Usman, the JeM also paid tributes to him as well as the second militant whom it identified as “Showkat Ahmad”, a local.
Earlier police in a statement said that two bodies of the militants have been recovered from the encounter site and searches in the area are continuing.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Swayam Prakash Pani confirmed to GNS that two militant bodies have been recovered and said that “this was the module responsible for recent stand-off attacks.”
The gunfight ensued Chankitar village of Mandoora area of Tral on Tuesday afternoon, soon after a joint team of army’s 42RR, SOG and 180 BN CRPF launched a cordon and search operation following specific information about the presence of some militants there.
As the joint team of government forces intensified searches, the militants hiding in the area fired upon at government forces, triggering off an encounter.
“In the ensuing encounter so far two bodies of the militants have been recovered. They are affiliated with JeM outfit,” said the police spokesman.
