Militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen on Saturday issued yearly report on Kashmir. The report contains the incidents that occurred in Kashmir in 2018, a local news agency CNS reported.
It said that as per the report, issued by spokesperson and incharge Hizb Media Centre, Salim Hashmi, this year 266 militants died in 345 encounters. Among the top slain commanders were scholar Dr Abdul Manan Wani, assistant professor Dr Rafi Ahmed Bhat, PhD scholar Dr Sabzar Ahmed Sofi, scholar Eitimaad Ahmed Malik, engineer Adnan Lone, Hyder Ali and others.
“These slain daring militants killed 231 forces personnel, including four officers. In different encounter 375 forces personnel, including five Major rank officers’ sustained injuries,” the CNS quoted the report as having said.
“This year militants carried out 33 major and minor IED attacks that either killed or injured dozens of troopers. Three Casper vehicles of Indian army were also damaged in these blasts,” the report states. “During the encounters with militants, forces resorted to arson and made use of mortar shells thus damaging 50 residential houses and a mosque. During the clashes with common people, forces made free use of bullets and pellets killing 86 civilians and injuring 1800 youth. Majority of these youth sustained pellet injures and lost eye sight. The clashes also resulted in the injuries of police and forces personnel,” the report states.
“Forces arrested 450 persons in different nocturnal raids. For gains and promotions forces personnel implicated 107 youth in stone-pelting cases and Public Safety Act was slapped on majority of those youth,” the report claimed.
“This year 42 bodies mostly bullet ridden were recovered from different parts of Kashmir. There was a surge in rifle snatching incidents. Militants in audacious acts decamped with 41 rifles,” the report added.
“Forces personnel are using different tactics to leave Kashmir. The incidents of suicide are on rise. This year 24 soldiers killed themselves as they were denied leave,” the report said.