Al-Badr commander Zeenat-ul-Islam among two killed

Srinagar: Top Al-Badr commander Zeenat-ul-Islam was among the two militants killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said Sunday.

"The two militants killed in the Katpora encounter have been identified as Zeenat-ul-Islam and Shakeel Ahmad Dar. Both were involved in several terror crimes," a police official said.

Islam, a category A++ militant, was a top commander who had switched over to Al-Badr from Hizbul Mujahideen in November last year following consensus between the two outfits to strengthen the Al-Badr, he said.

The official said security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Katpora area of Yaripora in south Kashmir's Kulgam district Saturday evening after receiving specific information about the presence of militants there.

He said as the forces were conducting the searches, the militants fired upon them.

As per policy, the militants were given an opportunity to surrender, but they continued to fire upon the forces, the official said.