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13 Militants, 2 Soldiers Killed in 6 Days in Kashmir

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Feb 4: 13 militants and two soldiers were killed in separate encounters in Kashmir during the past six days.

Four militants and two policemen were killed in a fierce gunfight that raged between the two sides at Mendhar sector in the mountainous Poonch region of Kashmir. Four militants, managed to escape during the gunfight, which lasted for more than 24 hours. The slain militants were said to be Pakistani nationals.

On January 30, police and army in a joint operation killed four militants of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen at Kulgam in South Kashmir. One of the slain militants identified as Sajad Ahmad Bhat alias Tahir Maqsood was the district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen.

On February 1, police and army in another joint operation killed a top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen. Identified as Rahool Bhat, the slain militant was wanted by police in a number of militancy related activities. He had snatched two SLR's, two magazines and forty rounds of ammunition from police guards.

On February 1, four Pakistani militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba, hiding in a house at Drusoo Jagir Rafiabad in North Kashmir were killed by Police and para-military forces. "The militants were hiding in a concrete underground chamber and it was difficult to dislodge them. To neutralise the militants, water was directed into the hideout in which four militants were killed," claimed the police officer.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.