10 militants killed in 24 hours in Kashmir as Indian Army mounts counter-insurgency operations

The Indian Army said on Saturday that as many as 10 militants have been gunned down in Kashmir since Friday after it stepped up its counter-insurgency operations in the Valley. 

"Relentless operations by security forces have defeated desperate attempts by Pakistan and Pakistan-sponsored agents to spread terror in the state in the run up to the holy month of Ramzan," the defence spokesman of the Northern Command said. 

Army's statement came hours after the security forces killed Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, a successor of Burhan Wani.

Bhat's killing resulted in violent protests in several towns in the Valley following which the government suspended mobile internet services and decided to put Srinagar under curfew from Sunday.

In the last 24 hours, ten heavily armed intruders and terrorists have been successfully eliminated, he said. In the ongoing counter-infiltration operations along the LoC in Rampur sector, six armed intruders have been intercepted and eliminated, the statement read. 

In another counter-terror operation which was based on specific information from a local source in Tral in South Kashmir, have so far resulted in deaths of two terrorists, he said. Army troops yesterday foiled an attack by Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) on a patrol party along the LoC in Uri sector, killing two militants.