Kashmiri Militant Leader Killed in Gunfight with Indian Forces

Srinagar, Kashmir, 2 Ranadan 1438/29 May 2017 (MINA) – India’s security forces killed eight rebels, among them a top leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen group, triggering protests in the disputed Kashmir region Saturday.

Sabzar Ahmed Bhat, – the successor to Burwan Wani, the Hizbul leader whose death on July 8, 2016, sparked deadly protests – was killed in the Tral area of the India-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir, DPA quoted Indian Army spokesman Rajesh Kalia as saying.

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Bhat’s death has prompted protests in southern, central and northern Kashmir and one civilian was killed in the violence.

Bhat, who was also known as Abu Zarar, was on the police’s wanted list and had a 100,000-rupee (1,550-dollar) bounty on his head.

Late on Friday, a patrol of the Indian Army’s counter-insurgency unit came under fire near the town of Tral and security forces surrounded two houses in a nearby village after they received information that the militants had taken shelter there, police sources said.

After a four-hour exchange of fire Saturday, the bodies of two militants were recovered from the destroyed houses, Jammu and Kashmir state police chief SP Vaid said.

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One of them was identified as Sabzar, who belonged to Tral. A third militant managed to escape, police said.

India’s cautious steps amid widespread protests

As news spread to neighbouring villages, dozens of protesters marched to the site and pelted stones at the security forces, IANS news agency reported.

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A civilian was killed and more than a score of protesters were injured in clashes with the police at Tral, IANS reported.

Markets were shut down in protest against the killing in the towns of Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian and internet and rail services were suspended.

The administration said all educational institutions would remain closed till Tuesday and imposed curfew in Tral and eight pockets of Jammu and Kashmir’s state capital Srinagar.

Groups of college students had earlier started pelting stones at the police during a protest in the Nowhatta area of the city.

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Authorities were taking precautions to make sure there is no repeat of the protest after Wani’s death, in which over 80 civilians were killed, prompting a law-and-order crisis, IANS reported citing government sources.

In a separate incident in the area of Uri, six suspected militants were killed when they tried to cross the Line of Control (LoC), a de facto border that divides the disputed Kashmir region into two parts, one administered by India and the other by Pakistan.

“A group of militants was challenged by the alert troops on the Indian side of the LoC in Rampur sector,” Indian Army spokesman Rajesh Kalia said.

On Friday, the army claimed it killed two suspected militants trying to infiltrate in the adjoining area of Uri.

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Nuclear-capable neighbours India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir. India, which has been dealing with a violent insurgency in Kashmir for decades, accuses Pakistan of aiding the militants.

Pakistan denies the charge, and refers to the militants as freedom fighters. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)

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