Five foreign militants killed in J&K were trained in guerrilla warfare: Police

Five foreign militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces on Friday near the line of control at Jumagand, in north Kashmir's Kupwara district.

The encounter began on Thursday night after security forces launched an anti-militancy operation in the area.

In a tweet, ADGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said five foreign militants were killed in the encounter and a search in the area is underway.

This is the second gunfight in the area this week. Police, on Tuesday, had claimed that two militants were killed in a joint operation by the Army and police at Dobanar in the Machil sector near the LoC.

The killing of the militants assumed significance in the wake of preparations for the Amarnath Yatra that will begin on June 30. Security has been beefed up because of the yatra.

The Centre has provided additional para-military forces for ensuring the safety of the yatra and deployed other assets for the safe pilgrimage that takes place every year.

Infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir decreased after the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in 2021. The peace at the LoC has helped the residents straddling the LoC either resume normal life, farming, and grazing cattle or enjoy celebrations like marriages without the fear of getting caught in the crossfire.

The police, in a statement, said based on specific intelligence gathered by Kupwara police about the likely infiltration of a group of five highly trained terrorists of J&K Ghaznavi Force (JKGF), seasoned in the guerilla warfare in Afghan-Pakistan theatre, a well-thought-out and tactically designed operation was planned with Army on the possible route of infiltration in Jumagund area of the district and ambushes were laid accordingly.

“On being intercepted, the terrorists attacked the joint ambush parties which retaliated by superior and well-controlled firepower resulting in the encounter and consequent neutralisation without any loss to own side,’’ the statement said. “The operation started late at midnight and was completed in the early morning hours. The sanitization process is going on. All five dead bodies and arms have been recovered. Further details are awaited.”

The statement said the group was affiliated to JKGF, which has Rafiq Nai and Shamsher Nai alias Zafar Iqbal, both residents of Poonch presently settled in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) as handlers, and Murtaza Pathan alias Ghaznvi, resident of Faisalabad, Pakistan, an Afghan veteran affiliated with Deoband school of thought, as operational commander supervising tactical aspect from POJK.

Meanwhile, a defence spokesman in Jammu said the alert troops in a joint operation by Army and Police foiled an infiltration bid at the Krishnaghati sector in the Poonch district along the Line of Control on the intervening night of June 14 and 15. In the operation, one AK 47 rifle, nine magazines, 438 rounds, two pistols with sixty rounds, six hand grenades, clothing and medicines, two pouches and two rucksacks were recovered.