Militant killed in encounter in Shopian district of Kashmir

Tribune News Service
Srinagar, May 10 

A militant of radical Islamic State Jammu Kashmir (ISJK) unit was killed in a shootout in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Friday, police sources said.

The militant was killed after security forces launched an anti-militancy operation at Ram Nagri Amshipora Shopian during wee hours of Friday. 

“A cordon and search operation was being carried out at Ram Nagri by forces when hiding militants fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated. During the brief shooting, one militant was killed,” a police officer said, adding arms and ammunition was also recovered from the site.

While authorities are yet to confirm his identity, sources said the slain militant was Ishfaq Sofi, a senior militant affiliated with ISJK.

The slain militant, a resident of north Kashmir’s Sopore town was active since 2015. 

He was initially associated with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen militant group. Sofi was the lone surviving militant of ISJK in Kashmir, police sources said.  

Meanwhile, prohibitory restrictions under Section 144 CrPC were imposed in Sopore area. 

The authorities also closed all educational institutions in Sopore subdivision as a precautionary measure. There were reports of minor clashes in Sopore.