Hizbul commander among 2 terrorists killed in J&K's Kulgam

The two terrorists killed in an encounter with the security forces in the Chawalgam area of South Kashmir's Kulgam district have been identified and one of them was a Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Friday.

According to the police the killed terrorists were identified as District commander of HM Shiraz Molvi and Yawar Bhat. Police also claimed that Shiraz was active since 2016 and was involved in recruiting innocent youth into terror ranks and several civilian killings.

A police spokesperson said one of the bodies was recovered on Friday morning even as the search operation continued in the area. Police said incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, have been seized from the site of the encounter

The gunfight took place on Thursday after a joint team of the police and the army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about the presence of terrorists.

Meanwhile, in another encounter in Srinagar, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday claimed that the terrorist, who was killed was a suicide bomber. The terrorist was identified as Aamir Riyaz from South Kashmir's Pulwama district and was affiliated with the terror outfit 'Gazwatul Hind', said the police.

According to the police, Riyaz was a relative of one of the accused of the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel lost their lives.

"Terrorist killed in Srinagar Encounter identified as Aamir Riyaz of Khrew Pulwama affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Mujahideen Gazwatul Hind. He was relative of one of the accused of LethporaTerrorAttack and was assigned to carry out fidayeen attack," police tweeted quoting Kashmir Inspector General of Police, Vijay Kumar.

An AK rifle, along with some ammunition, was seized from the site of the encounter after the slain terrorist's body was recovered.

Meanwhile, claiming responsibility for an "attack", the Mujahideen Ghazwatul Hind said three of its cadres "attacked the CRPF camp".

The gunfight between the terrorists and security forces took place on Thursday evening in the Hamdaniya Colony area of Bemina after a joint team of the police and the army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about the presence of terrorists.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where the terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter,reports IANS.