Anantnag: Two local militants of Jaish-e-Muhammad were killed Tuesday morning in a gunfight with government forces in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama.
Police were yet to confirm the identities of the militants, officially. However, sources in police said that the slain were locals and associated with the Jaish.
They were identified by sources as Muhammad Maqbool Chopan of Seer Jageer village in Tral and Aqib Ramzan, a resident of Brah Bandina village in Awantipora.
The gunfight broke out in Saimoh village of Tral early morning. A senior police official from the area said that a cordon and search operation was launched in the area in the wee hours of Tuesday morning following inputs regarding presence of militants in the area.
“Soon after the CASO was laid, the house where militants were hiding was identified and the militants were asked to surrender,” the police official said, adding that one of the militants came out firing in a bid to break the cordon and escape at about 6 am.
The official said that the militant was gunned down soon after he ventured out.
The other militant remained holed up in the house for a few hours and did not fire at all.
“The firing from his side started again at about 11:30 in the morning. The fire was retaliated and the second militant was killed as well,” the official said.
Bodies of the slain militants were retrieved along with arms and ammunition. They were sent for medico-legal formalities and the identification process, the police official said.
Meanwhile, mobile internet services were snapped in the area soon after the gunfight broke out and was kept suspended throughout the day.

Suhail A Shah