40 killed in Kashmir since Sunday evening

Forty people, including four army personnel, have been killed in different operations in the Kashmir valley since Sunday evening.

Security forces also seized around 377 kilograms of explosives and other arms and ammunition from a militant hideout in Baramulla district, a defence ministry spokesperson said.

Tuesday, militants shot dead Mohammad Amin Khan, a civilian, at Gani Mohalla, near Jamia Masjid, in downtown Srinagar.

In Kupwara, they exploded a powerful grenade near the Jamia Masjid. Nine people, including a woman, were injured.

Troops arrested three top Hizbul Mujahideen militants, identified as Manzoor Ahmad Najor alias Tahir Moulvi, Mohammad Amin Kaloo alias Sameer and Meraj Din alias Nana Sheikh, from the Khoja-Yarbal area, Srinagar.

Monday evening, three Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an encounter with security forces at Budhmarg-Tral in Pulwanan district. A civilian was also killed. A woman sustained injuries.

At Watergam in Badgam district, security forces shot dead two militants, including a foreigner. Another was killed in the Amargah area if Baramulla district. The same area witnessed another incident wherein militants ambushed a security patrol, killing a security personnel and wounding a civilian.

In Anantnag district, militants intruded into the house of Marianat Nathipora, a civilian in Duroo area, shot her dead.

In the biggest encounter this year, as many as 18 militants, 14 of them foreign mercenaries of the Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba, were killed on the September 21-22 night.

The spokesman said the Rashtriya Rifles had cordoned off Latun-Wotarpur village in Badgam district following a tip-off. During house-to-house searches, the militants opened fire on the search party. The troops retaliated, killing the militants, all of them aged between 17 and 22 years.

Two rocket launchers, 16 rockets, 14 AK--56 rifles, 48 magazines, 1,451 rounds, three grenade launchers, 46 grenades, 30 rifle grenades, two wireless sets, four pistols, seven magazines, 49 rounds, 24 detonators and Rs 75,000 in cash were recovered in the operation.

Sunday evening, at least three security personnel were killed and two others injured when militants attacked a patrol party at Haihama in the frontier district of Kupwara. A massive manhunt is on to nab those responsible.

During a search operation at Palpora village in Handwara the same evening, security forces shot dead two militants and recovered three Kalashnikov rifles, seven magazines, 108 rounds and two hand-grenades.

At Mayisdur village, troops killed another militant in an encounter.

In Srinagar, troops killed a militant during a search operation. An AK-56 rifle and a magazine were recovered.

Militants attacked a police task force at Akingam in Anantnag on Sunday evening. The task force personnel returned the fire. Two militants and two women -- who were working in the nearby-paddy field -- were killed.

UNI