5 Hizb militants killed in Kangan encounter

Srinagar: Police and Army Friday claimed that they killed five Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants in Kangan area of Ganderbal district who were active in the area from 2012.
Sources told that on specific information Police and troops of Army’s 24 Rahstriya Rifles Battalion laid siege around Najwan forests
and conducted search operation to flush out the militants hiding in Prang Kangan. They said the militants opened fire on the security
force who retaliated, triggering a fierce encounter.
A senior police officer said the encounter took place late last night when the groups of five militants were crossing a river. “All the five
militants were killed. There was no collateral damage and five AK rifles have been recovered along with the bodies,” he said.
“Militants killed in the encounter included a commander of Hizbul Mujahedeen Assadullah. He was known to be operating in Kangan area for
a long time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Police Ganderbal Shahid Mehraj told that on specific information police and 24 RR laid a cordon in Najwan
forest area near Preng. “When Police and Army tightened the cordon, hiding militants fired at them triggering a gunfight in which five
militants were killed, “he said.
Army Spokesperson told news agency, “Ambush was laid and the militants were challenged while they were trying to cross the Sind River. But the
militants fired at the security forces, which resulted in an encounter and in the retaliation of firing all the five militants were killed,”
he said.
Later, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Awantipora-based Victor Force, R R Nimborker and DIG Central Kashmir Syed Afadatul Mujtaba
addressed reporters at RR camp in Wussan village. They termed it a big success and hailed the efforts of police and Army. “We had inputs that
a group of five militants called Qari Asadullah group was moving in the area. After acting with full concentration on their movement, a
joint operation was launched by Police and Army,” GOC Nimborker said.
Calming it as a major success he said that the group were active in the area from 2012 and were under surveillance since last September.
“We had learnt that the group planned to attack Amarnath Yatra,” he claimed.
“It was group of foreign militants of Hizbul Mujahedeen. Encounter started at around 10 pm last night and first contact was established
with the militants at 12.30 a.m. and two of the militant were killed by 1 a.m. Later the operation continued till morning and the rest of
the militants were killed. Security forces did not suffer any damage in the operation,” he added.
Meanwhile, after the bodies of the slain militants were handed over to locals for burial hundreds of residents gathered in the area and blocked Srinagar-Leh National Highway and shouted slogans. Later all the five militants were laid to rest at a local graveyard.
Hizb owns slain militants United Jihad Council chairman and Hizb supreme Syed Salahuddin paid rich tributes to the slain militants. Hizb spokesman Saleem Hashmi in an e-mailed statement to news agency said, “Hizb Commander Qadri Asad-ullah and Mohammad Usman, Umar Javid, Ahmad and Hilal Ahmad have been
martyred during the gunfight.”
The statement reads that UJC chief made these assertions while addressing a special session of Hizb Command Council. Referring to
five Hizb militants who died during an encounter at Ganderbal district in south Kashmir on Friday Salahuddin said, “Our men bravely fought
with the enemy. Militants will intensify their attacks and will continue till freedom is not achieved,” he warned.
“Martyrdom of mujahedeen amply demonstrates the fact that every Hizb activists and commanders are committed to Kashmir cause and they are
ready to sacrifice their precious lives to achieve this noble cause,” he added.
Urging the separatists to honor the blood of martyrs by exhibiting unity and continue their resistance against ‘Indian occupation’ he
said, “We hope the day is not far when Indian forces will have to leave the Kashmir.”