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Fierce encounter with militants rages in northern Kashmir

by IBNS 02 Sep 2015, 07:47 am

Srinagar, Sept 2 (IBNS) A fierce gun battle has started here between security forces and militants in Rafiabad area of Northern Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said.

Sources told IBNS that on a tip-off joint teams of Army and SOG launched a search operation in Ladoora village of Rafiabad, about the presence of some militants believed to be inside a house.

Reports suggested the gun battle erupted soon after police received information about the presence of two local militants, including Imtiyaz Kandoo of Sopore, a close aide of Qayoom Najar, the disbanded Hizbul Mujahideen militant group.
 
This is the second gunfight in the area since last week when four militants were killed and one Pakistani militant was captured alive in the Qazinag dhara area of Rafiabad.


According to police, Imtiyaz was involved in some killings in Sopore and carries a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)