Acting on specific information Handwara police along with 47 RR, 21 RR, 6 RR launched a cordon and search operation in village Sudal area of Magam in Handwara, this morning.According to a police statement issued, the militants fired upon the joint operation party triggering an encounter. During the encounter a LeT militant was killed. The slain militant was later identified as pisional commander of LeT Abu Ukasha Afghani. The search operation was going on till the reports were filed. More details to follow.Meanwhile, according to an army statement issued said that based on specific intelligences, a joint operation was launched by Rashtriya Rifle Unit and JKP in Sodal area of Handwara, resulting in killing of a LeT pisional Commander of foreign origin and recovery of arms and ammunition.
“On receipt of specific intelligence about presence of a militant in a house at Village Sudal of Magam in Handwara, a joint operation was launched by a Rashrtriya Rifle unit and Special Operation Group (SOG) during early hours today. The suspected house was effectively cordoned. First contact was established at about 0400 hrs, when the terrorist opened indiscriminate fire on the troops who were in the process of tightening the noose on the terrorist holed up in the animal shed. The fire was effectively retaliated and an intense gunfight ensued, resulting in killing of the terrorist. The slain militant has been identified as Abu Quasha belonging to the LeT cadre and has been operating as the pisional Commander. Subsequent search of the site of operation resulted in the recovery of one 9mm Pistol, one magazine with 15 rounds and one matrix sheet.”
Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh appreciated the Army and the SOG personnel for the operation conducted in a thoroughly professional and surgical manner. The terrorist killed in this operation was the seventh top terrorist commander killed in 2014. “In 2013, 10 top commanders were killed. The approach adopted by Army to track and eliminate leadership of terrorist organisations operating in Kashmir has proved extremely successful and has broken the backbone of tanzeems.”