Among the dead militants, a minimum of 18 are killed during the month-long corona lockdown.
Giving details, officials within the security forces said, that the slain militants Four militants, including district commander of LeT Muzaffar Ahmed Bhat, were killed during a gun-battle with forces within the Dialgam area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir on March 15, adding they belonged to LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen outfits.
On January 25, three militants, including JeM self-styled Kashmir chief Qari Yasir, were killed while three soldiers were injured during a gunfight between govt forces and militants within the Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, he said.
On January 23, another top militant commander Abu Saifullah alias Abu Qasim, an associate of Yasir, was killed within the Khrew area of Pulwama district, the official said.
On April 9, top Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Sajad Nawab Dar was killed by govt forces in Sopore in Baramulla district in north Kashmir, he said.
A top Hizbul Mujahideen ‘commander’ Haroon Wani was killed during a fierce gunfight with the govt. forces within the Gundana area of Doda in Jammu and Kashmir on January 15, he said.
Giving further details, the officer said 18 militants were killed during the lockdown within the union territory since March 14. As many as nine civilians were killed by the militants during this year, he said.
Besides, seventeen govt force personnel were killed during an equivalent period, which incorporates 13 forces personnel, three Special cops (SPOs) and one policeman, he added.
As many as 160 militants were killed and 102 arrested in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh had said earlier.
[Source: ABP LIVE]