2 militants killed in Shopian gunfight, another rages in Sopore

Srinagar, June 11 (IANS) Two militants were killed on Tuesday in a gunfight with the security forces in Shopian district, while another gunfight was raging in Sopore area in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district.

The security forces surrounded the Wadoora Payeen village in Sopore following a tip-off about two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants hiding there.

"The militants fired after being challenged, triggering an encounter which is presently going on," the police said.

Authorities have suspended mobile intervention services in Sopore as a precautionary measure.

Earlier in the day, two local militants belonging to the Ansar Ghazwatul Hind (AGH) outfit were killed in a gunfight with the security forces in J&K's Shopian district.

Police sources said the bodies of the two slain militants have been recovered along with their weapons from the encounter site in Awneera village in Zainapora area.

"The slain militants have been identified as Shakir Ahmad of Shopian and Sayar Bhat of Kulgam district... Both of them were affiliated with the AGH," police sources said.

Zakir Musa, the chief of AGH, was killed by the security forces in a gunfight in Pulwama district on May 24. Before he became the first militant commander to head AGH, Musa had succeeded Burhan Wani, the Hizbul poster boy of homegrown militancy in the Valley.

Burhan was killed on July 8, 2016 in a gunfight in Anantnag district.

"Firing exchanges have now stopped, but searches are still going on at the gunfight site. Security forces started a cordon and search operation in Awneera village of Shopian district on Monday evening following information about some militants hiding there.

"When challenged on Tuesday morning, the hiding militants opened fire, triggering an encounter in which two militants were killed," police sources said.

As a precautionary measure, authorities have suspended mobile internet services in Kulgam and Shopian districts.