A top commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) from Pakistan was among the two terrorists killed by security forces in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar on Monday.
The two killings took the number of terrorists killed in Srinagar this year to 18. Since October 6, as many as 10 terrorists have been killed across Kashmir valley in four different operations and an attack.
Officials said that a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Srinagar Police and CRPF in Rambagh area on specific information.
“During the search operation, as the presence of terrorists was ascertained, they were given the opportunity to surrender after evacuating all the civilians. However they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter in which two LeT terrorists were killed,” a police spokesperson said.
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The killed terrorists were identified as top LeT commander Saifullah (a Pakistani National) and Irshad Ahmed Dar alias Abu Usama, a resident of Pulwama who was active since May-2019 and involved in several civilian killings and attacks.
“The important fact of today’s operation is that a top terrorist of Lashkar from Pakistan, Saifullah has been killed. He was involved in three major attacks in the past,” said Dilbag Singh, J&K Director General of Police (DGP) at a press conference.
Saifullah infiltrated earlier this year and two months ago shifted his base from north to south Kashmir.
The DGP said that he was involved in planning and executing terror attacks on security forces which includes the killing of a CRPF officer at Chadoora on September 24, two CRPF personnel at Kandizal area of Pampore on October 5. He was also part of the group involved in the killing of two police personnel at Nowgam Srinagar on August 14.
Keeping in view the prevailing pandemic due to Covid-19, the dead bodies of the killed militants shall be sent to Baramulla for burial after completion of all medico-legal formalities.
18 terrorists killed in 8 encounters in Srinagar
The DGP said that there have been eight encounters in Srinagar this year.
“This is for the first time in 2020 that Srinagar city has witnessed eight encounters so far in which we have been able to neutralize 18 terrorists,” he said.
The DGP added that the security forces were not allowing the terrorists to have a foothold in the city despite their repeated attempts.
“So Lashkar and all, they have been trying to make a foothold in the city but our intelligence network is quite good and whenever they try to find a foothold in the city we have been able to find out and take care,” he said.
“There is one active terrorist of Srinagar and two others are involved in terrorist activities. The search is on and I am sure they will be brought to justice,” he said.
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