Jammu and Kashmir: 6 terrorists of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind gunned down in Tral encounter

At least six terrorists were killed in an encounter that broke out on Saturday in Tral area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district. “A joint team of Army’s 42 RR, SOG and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search operation following “credible inputs” about the presence of militants at Arampora hamlet of Dadsara today early in the morning,” an official said. In the meantime, the forces fired some warning shots towards a “militant hideout” situated in an orchard along the Tral-Awantipora road. The militant group hiding inside the hideout opened fire triggering off a gunfight which lasted for a brief time, he said.

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During the course of the gunfight, six militants of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind militant outfit including its Deputy Chief Soliha have been killed, he said.

Following the encounter, the authorities have snapped mobile Internet services in the area. The train services have also been suspended in the Valley. "We have suspended all trains running in the Kashmir valley on Saturday, a senior railway official was quoted by Kashmir Life as saying. “No train will chug on Budgam-Srinagar-Islamabad-Qazigund in south Kashmir to Banihal in Jammu region. Similarly, trains will also not run on Srinagar-Budgam and Baramulla in north Kashmir,” he said. He said the service will be resumed only after they get a fresh advisory from the authorities.

The bodies of all the slain militants along with as many weapons and other arms and ammunition were recovered from their possession, he said, adding: “The identities of the other five militants is being ascertained”. “So far one body was recovered from the gunfight site. He looks like a foreigner," Greater Kashmir quoted SP Awantipora Mohammad Zahid Malik as saying. 

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Additional security forces and state police personnel have been deployed to prevent any demonstration near the encounter site.

On Friday, two Army officers were killed as Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged heavy firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. “One junior commissioned officer (JCO) was killed in the firing and another succumbed to injuries later at a medical facility,” an Army official said. The ceasefire violation occurred at the around 11.55 am.