Three Pakistani Militants Killed in Kashmir Gunfights

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Nov 20: Three Pakistani militants were killed in two separate gunfights in Kashmir on Thursday.

A police officer said that the Indian army and police personnel on specific information about the presence of militants in village Daril Vilgam, Handwara in North Kashmir laid siege around it in the morning. "During the combing operation, the soldiers zeroed-in on a house and asked the militants present inside to surrender. They, however, turned down the offer and fired from sophisticated weapons towards the soldiers. The fire was returned and in the ensuing gunfight, two Pakistan militants belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad were killed," the officer said.

He identified the slain militants as Shamsheer alias Showkat Bhai and Irfan alias Abu Talib, both residents of Pakistan.

The police officer said that another Pakistani militant was killed in an encounter with soldiers at Niloosa village of Boniyar in Uri in North Kashmir. "An AK assault rifle and a magazine were recovered from his possession," he claimed.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.