J-K: Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Abu Bakr killed as six-hour-long Sopore encounter ends

A suspected militant linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was killed in an encounter with security forces in Sopore area of Jammu and Kashmir.

LeT commander Abu Bakr was killed in a six-hour-long gunfight at a residential building where he was hiding.

Sources said that the encounter has ended and security forces are combing the area to look for other militants.

J&K: Arms and ammunition recovered by security forces in Sopore encounter that killed top LeT commander Abu Bakr pic.twitter.com/pyDZCXkTHC

— ANI (@ANI_news) December 14, 2016

Sopore encounter #UPDATE: top LeT commander Abu Bakr killed by security forces. Encounter ends

— ANI (@ANI_news) December 14, 2016

Earlier in the day, security forces killed another suspected militant in a separate encounter in Anantnag district. Militants opened fire on a patrol party of army at Beewra in Srigufwara area of Anantnag district this morning, a police official said.

He said the army personnel retaliated, triggering a gunbattle.

The militant, identified as Basit Ahmad Dar, was killed in the encounter. Dar had recently joined Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit.