Five militants and one civilian killed in South Kashmir’s Shopian district

Kashmir News Bureau
Srinagar, Aug 04 (KNB): Five militants were killed in an encounter on Saturday during a gunfight with government forces in Kilora Shopian, South of Kashmir. The militants were identified as Arshad Ahmad of Ganowpora Balpora, Waqar Ahmad Sheikh of Malikgund, Aijaz Ahmad Paul of Lousdanew, Arif Ahmad from Yannar village and Umar Malik of Malikgund. Reports reaching KNB that a civilian Bilal Ahmad was also killed in clashes post-encounter.
According to the Police spokesman government forces on Thursday evening launched searches in Kilora area of Shopian following the inputs of presence of militants in area.



During the search, militants hiding inside a house fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated thereby establishing contact with the militants leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, five militants were killed.
Pertinently the encounter later took place in an open area as the hiding militants, taking advantage of darkness came out of the house and fired indiscriminately on Security Forces.
Arms and ammunition were also seized from the site of encounter. Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the matter.
Meanwhile, reports said that youth hurled stones on army men soon after the funeral prayers of a militant Arshad Ahmad Khan in Ganowpora who was killed along with four associates in Kiloora village earlier today.
They said that army man retaliated by firing live ammunition, resulting in injuries to three persons.
The injured were shifted to district hospital Shopian where one of them, identified as Bilal Ahmad Khan, was declared dead on arrival.
The deceased was a resident of Pooju village of the district. (KNB)