Security forces shot dead five hardcore Hizbul Mujahideen militants including their “district commander” in Kangan pocket of Ganderbal district in Kashmir Valley. The slain militants have been active in the area for past seven years and a senior Army officer claimed that their presence was considered as a threat to recently concluded Amarnath pilgrimage, which has one of the two base camps in the area.
The Army said that the militants were gunned down when they were trying to cross a river at around midnight. There was no damage to the security forces even as exchange of fire has taken place before all the militants were shot dead. Five HM militants were killed in an encounter near Prang, Kangan in Ganderbal district.
A Defence spokesman said that on the basis of specific intelligence inputs regarding movement of terrorists in Palang area of Najawan Forest of Kangan, 35 kilometres from Srinagar, a surgical and clinical joint operation named was launched by Army and Special Operations Group of J&K Police resulting into the elimination of five hardcore Hizbul Mujahiddin terrorists of foreign origin including a District Commander and recovery of five AK-47 rifles.
He said the militants began their movement around midnight but contact with them was established at around 1.30 am.