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Updated: Aug 04, 2019 03:50 IST

Three militants were killed in two separate encounters in Kashmir on Saturday, security officials said.

In an encounter which started in north Kashmir’s Sopore in Baramulla district on Saturday, security forces killed two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants after a search operation was launched jointly by police, army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Malamapanpora Warpora area of Sopore.

“During the search operation, the hiding terrorists fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter,” said police spokesman, Manoj Kumar.

He said that the identities and affiliation of the killed terrorists is being ascertained.

In another incident on Saturday, an ongoing gunfight at Pandushan village in Shopian continued into the second day and a joint party of police, army and CRPF killed a militant.

“A terrorist, who has been identified as Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, resident of Wachi, has been killed,” Kumar said.

Earlier on Friday, a JeM militant and an army man were killed in south Kashmir’s Shopian district where the first gun fight between militants and security forces erupted after searches in Pandushan village.

Security forces had recovered the body of Zeenat ul Islam Naikoo, a resident of Shopian, on Friday. The militants also reportedly injured a soldier.

“In the initial exchange of fire one army Jawan identified as Sepoy Rambir Singh of 34 RR sustained gunshot injuries who was evacuated to hospital for treatment however he succumbed to his injuries,” Kumar said.

The spokesman said that Bhat was associated to proscribed outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, while Naikoo was affiliated to JeM and both were wanted by law for their complicity in terror crimes including attack on security establishments and civilians.

“Zeenat Naikoo was the most important local militant of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Shopian. He played the role of local anchor to the Jaish foreign terrorists. He was involved in various incidents of violence including cop killing, firing and grenade lobbing on Police Station Shopian and Gagren Camp.”

Kumar added that Naikoo was also involved in a shootout in Shopian, in which four policemen lost their lives in August 2018.

On Tuesday, security forces killed two militants including a top Jaish commander, Fayaz Panzoo who according to police was responsible for the killing of Station House Officer, Anantnag and five CRPF personnel in south Kashmir in June.

This year, the security forces have so far killed 135 militants including the three killed in Shopian and Sopore on Saturday, while 76 security force personnel have also been killed in retaliation including 40 CRPF jawans in the February 14 Pulwama attack.