Militant, soldier killed in Kashmir encounter

A Hizbul Mujahideen militant and an <g data-gr-id="36">Armyman</g> were killed in an encounter that lasted over nine hours in Baramulla district, about 50 km from the state capital, on Wednesday. The encounter in Rafiabad area started around <g data-gr-id="39">7am</g>, after security forces launched a search operation, following information about the presence of militants, police said.

During the search operation, militants fired at the security forces and an encounter ensued, which went on for over nine hours. “One militant and one Army soldier have been killed in the operation,” a police official said.

The slain militant has been identified as Riyaz Ahmad, a resident of Brath Kalan in  the nearby Sopore area, the official said, adding that he was affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen. According to the police, Ahmad is responsible for a number of recent killings and targeting of mobile installations in the state.

“He was involved in a number of killings in Sopore and adjoining areas. He was also involved in threatening and terrorising landlords of mobile towers and mobile franchise owners,” said a police official.

He added Ahmad was involved in the killing of a BSNL franchise employee in June. Two other employees were injured in this incident.

Riyaz Ahmad, alias Gosha, joined Hizbul Mujahideen in 2014 and was operating along with Imtiyaz Kandoo alias Fayaz and Adil Mir, the spokesman said. “He along with Mehraj <g data-gr-id="49">Halwai</g> and Adil Mir killed <g data-gr-id="50">Bomai</g> Sarpanch Ghulam Mohammad Bhat. He was involved in grenade blast in Dangerpora orchards in which three civilians got killed,” he said.

The spokesman said Riyaz was also involved in the killing of one Hurriyat Conference activist -- Khursheed Ahmad Bhat of <g data-gr-id="46">Bomai</g> in Sopore -- in June this year. One AK-47 rifle, two AK Magazines and several bullets were recovered from the encounter site, he added. The official said intelligence reports had initially suggested the presence of Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) militant Imtiyaz Ahmad Kandoo, a close aide of Qayoom Najar. Both Najar and Kandoo are believed to have defied the command of Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salahuddin and have been operating under the shadow name of LeI outfit.

Both the militants carry a bounty of Rs 10 lakh each on their heads. They are accused of killing six persons, including separatist activists and former militants in Sopore.