Baramulla: The Army on Thursday said the two terrorists killed in an encounter with security forces in Baramulla district of north Kashmir were Pakistani and associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
“The killed terrorists have been identified as Usman and Umar, both of Pakistan origin and associated with LeT,” Commander 7 Sector Rashtriya Rifles, Brigadier Deepak Mohan, told reporters in Rafiabad.
Two terrorists were killed and two security personnel injured in the encounter that broke out on Wednesday in Baramulla district of north Kashmir.
The forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Watergam area of Baramulla in the morning on information about the presence of terrorists there, which then turned into an encounter when the terrorists opened fire at the security personnel.
The Brigadier said Usman has been active in the Kashmir Valley since 2020. He was an expert in improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and had been a key figure in several civilian killings and militant recruitment activities across Tangmarg, Nowpora, and Kreeri areas of the district.
“This is a massive success,” an official remarked, underscoring the potential dangers Usman posed with his IED expertise. “His skills could have resulted in significant harm in the future.”
Significant quantities of weapons and ammunition have been recovered after the operation, the army officer said.
He said over the past few weeks there has been constant information on the movement of a terrorist group in the Sopore-Raflabad area of Baramulla district.
On Wednesday, specific intelligence was received through police that two terrorists were holed up in a house in the Hadipura village of Rafiabad. Consequently, the Army, police and CRPF launched a joint operation, swiftly cordoning off the area, Brigadier Mohan said.
Following standard procedures, civilians were safely evacuated from adjacent houses and the area was secured. The target house was thoroughly cordoned off and on the search being commenced, terrorists opened fire on the security forces. In the ensuing firefight, two terrorists were neutralized, he said.
The army officer said the elimination of these terrorists marks another major success for the security forces.
Over the past few months, we have maintained a high operational tempo, resulting in some major achievements. The success is also attributed to the complete cooperation of the Kashmiri people. Security forces will continue to make sustained efforts to maintain peace and stability in Kashmir, he added. (With inputs from PTI)
