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Azhar Qadri
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, January 23
Three militants were killed in a gunfight on Wednesday in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the police said. With this the militant casualties across the Kashmir valley have risen to nine this week.
The militants were killed in a gunfight which erupted as security forces closed in on their hideout on the outskirts of Binner village in Baramulla district, 60 km from here, a senior police officer said.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG), North Kashmir, Atul Goel said the security forces launched the counter-insurgency operation following a specific information about the presence of the militants at a hideout in an orchard in Binner village.
The police officer said appeals were made to the militants to surrender. However, they responded with gunfire and the security forces retaliated, killing three militants. “There was no collateral damage,” the officer said.
The gunfight continued for nearly an hour in the orchard area where the hideout was located.
“They are still unidentified and we are ascertaining their identities. Once the identities are established, we will inform their families,” he said. The officer said two AK-series assault rifles were recovered from the site while the searches continued in the area.
The killing of three ultras in Baramulla takes the militant casualties in the last three days to nine. Over the past two days, three militants each were killed in two counter-insurgency operations in central Kashmir’s Budgam district and in north Kashmir’s Shopian district.
The three militants killed in Shopian included the brother of an IPS officer, who is serving in a north-eastern state.
More than 250 militants, including senior commanders and recruiters, were killed in various counter-insurgency operations last year.
Nine militants shot dead in three days
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