Hizbul Mujhadeen on Monday claimed that five militants killed in a gunfight with the forces at Sumlar Bandipora were not foreigners but locals.
Hizb Operational Spokesperson Burhanuddin told a local news agency CNS that those killed in the gunfight were locals.
“It was a group comprising five members who got trapped in Sumlar area and were killed in a long gunfight,” Burhanuddin said. He identified the killed militants as Hyder Ali from Brazul Kulgam, Muhammad Umar from Shopian, Muhammad Sidiq from Bandipora, Mawiya from Kangan and Usman from Lolab.
“Sacrifices rendered by this group will not go waste. We are indebted to these youth who were in field for Kashmir cause,” Burhanuddin quoted Hizb chief Syed Salahuddin as having said.