23 killed in JK

Seventeen militants including two security personnel were among the 23 people killed in the Kashmir valley during the last 24 hours.

The security forces also arrested two militants and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition in the valley.

Official sources said some militants shot dead a constable, Abdul Rashid at Kralpora in the frontier district of Kupwara on Saturday afternoon.

A militant was killed and two security personnel injured in an encounter at Machily area on Friday evening.

An spokesman said security forces gunned down 12 militants in four different encounters in Baramulla and Kupwara.

Another militant was killed in an encounter at Dhera on Friday evening. Two AK-56 rifles, two magazines and a wireless set were recovered from the slain militant.

Meanwhile, security forces averted a major tragedy on Saturday morning when they detected and defused a powerful mine, planted by militants, at the Wadipora Badgam road.

UNI