Bandipore/ Kupwara/ Sept 6: Seven militants and two troopers were killed in separate encounters in north Kashmir on Monday, officials and reports said.

GUREZ ENCOUNTER
Four militants and two troopers were killed in an ongoing encounter in Nowshera area of Gurez sector, police said on Monday.
Pertinently, army had said that it had foiled an infiltration bid in the Nowshera sector on Saturday. “Searches are on to track the militants who have infiltrated into this side,” the officer added.

KUPWARA GUNFIGHT
The army said that it killed three militants till this afternoon in Hafruda forests, 130 kms north of Srinagar in frontier district of Kupwara.
 Giving details about the encounter an official said that troopers had launched searches in the area on Saturday morning. “The contact with the militants was established on Sunday following which a fierce gun battle broke out. In the initial firing an unidentified militant was killed last night,” the official said.
 He said that more reinforcements were rushed and escape routes were plugged. “Militants resorted to heavy firing this morning and tried to break the cordon. However, the fire was retaliated triggering an encounter in which two militants have been killed,” he added.
 When contacted army’s Srinagar based spokesman, Lt Col J S Brar said that three unidentified militants have been killed so far and the gun battle is on.
 “Army has asked locals to leave the area.  Helicopter gunships are being used to track down the militants as helicopters are continuously flying above the forest and mountains,” residents of Hafruda told Greater Kashmir.
 When contacted the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kupwara Muhammad Rafiq Vakil said, “Personnel of Special Operations Group of police are not involved in the encounter. Reportedly three militants have been killed by army but we haven’t received the bodies yet.”

Lastupdate on : Mon, 6 Sep 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 6 Sep 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 7 Sep 2010 00:00:00 IST