2 Pakistani nationals among 6 terrorists killed in separate encounters in JK: Officials

Six militants, including two of Pakistani origin who killed a 12-year-old boy held hostage by them, were gunned down in separate encounters with security forces on Friday in Bandipora and Shopian districts of Jammu and Kashmir, taking the number of ultras killed since Thursday to eight.

Two terrorists were killed in an overnight gunfight in the Hajin area of Bandipora district, officials said. The operation started on Thursday but the security forces had to proceed with caution as the ultras had taken two civilians hostage, the officials said.

While one civilian was rescued Thursday evening, the other -- a 12-year-old boy -- was killed by the militants, they said. "Two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists were killed in the Hajin encounter...they were identified as Pakistani nationals, Ali and Hubaib," a police spokesman said.

He said while one hostage, Abdul Hameed, was rescued Thursday evening, the second captive, Aatif Ahmad, "could not be saved and was brutally killed by terrorists". Two local Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) militants were killed in another encounter with security forces in Shopian district.

The security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Imamsahib area of Shopian in south Kashmir following information about the presence of militants there, an army official said. He said the militants opened fire at the security forces, who retaliated, triggering a gunfight.

He said the duo were involved in several atrocities against civilians and police personnel, including the recent killing of a woman SPO in Shopian.  Meanwhile, another gunbattle broke out between militants and security personnel in the Sopore area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district in which two militants was killed, the official said, adding that a search operation was on in the area.?

Two Jaish-e-Mohammad militants were killed in a separate encounter with security forces at Kalantara in Baramulla district on Thursday, while three security force personnel, including an officer, sustained injuries during the operation.

A police spokesman said while one of the slain militants was Amir Rasool, a resident of Sopore, the other slain ultra was a Pakistani national.