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'Wani II' cornered & killed: Hizbul's Sabzar Bhat and 7 other terrorists gunned down in J&K

Sabzar Ahmad Bhat and seven other terrorists gunned down in separate encounters in Kashmir

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War against terror notched a big success on Saturday when security forces killed eight terrorists, including the most-wanted commander and slain Hizbul Mujahedeen leader Burhan Wani's successor Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, in two separate operations in north and south Kashmir respectively.

While Sabzar and his aide were killed in Saimoh village at Tral in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, six terrorists were gunned down when they were trying to infiltrate into the Valley from the Line of Control (LoC) in Rampur sector of Uri in north Kashmir's Baramulla district.

A civilian was also killed after protests broke out in Tral area.

Police said Sabzar was gunned down after security forces launched an operation in the Saimoh village of Tral on Friday night.

The encounter broke out after terrorists fired on the Army patrol of 42 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) before fleeing the spot. Security forces immediately cordoned off the area and started the operation.

"Last evening, terrorists fired on the patrolling party of 42-RR at Hurdimir-Soimoh Tral. The fire was retaliated and the terrorists took shelter in the nearby houses. Subsequently, a cordon-and-search operation was launched by the joint team of J&K Police, 42 RR and 180th battalion of CRPF," said a police spokesperson.

On Saturday morning when security forces resumed the operation, they came under heavy fire from terrorists. In the ensuing gunfight, two terrorists were killed. "After the encounter, two Hizbul terrorists, identified as Faizan Muzaffar and Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, were killed," said the spokesperson.

Security forces also traced a call made by Sabzar to his family when he was holed up in the house. "Forgive me if I was wrong anytime. We have been cornered and can't escape. No one should cry on my death. Aslam-u-Alaiqum," Sabzar told his family over phone hours before he was killed.

Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, SP Vaid, told DNA that it is a success for the security forces. "Success is success whether big or small," he said,

Tension gripped Kashmir following the killing of Sabzar with protesters clashing with security forces at different places. A youth was killed and 12 other protestors were injured in the incident.

More than 25 police personnel and other security men were also injured in the stone-pelting that followed the killing. Mobile Internet services were suspended to prevent the rumor mongering and avoid repeat of post-Wani unrest in Kashmir.

"Today in the afternoon incidents of stone-pelting were reported from about two dozen places in different areas of Kashmir Valley. Police and security forces rushed to tackle these mobs. Twenty-five police and security forces personnel were injured. The forces showed utmost restraint in tacking these unruly mobs. During these incidents, 12 miscreants were also injured," said a police spokesman.

In a separate operation, Army foiled a major infiltration bid on the Line of Control in Rampur-Uri sector killing six terrorists. "In an ongoing counter-infiltration operation in the Rampur sector, a group of six armed intruders have been intercepted and eliminated," said Colonel NN Joshi, defence spokesman at Northern Command Headquarters.

This is the second operation on the LoC in which the Army foiled an infiltration bid from Pakistan in the last 24 hours.

"On May 26, a BAT action attempted on an Indian Army post by a group of heavily-armed intruders through an area under control of a Pak Army post in the Uri sector, was successfully intercepted resulting in the killing of two intruders," said Colonel Joshi.

In the last 24 hours, security forces have killed 10 heavily-armed intruders and terrorists in the Valley. "Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have mounted relentless operations to thwart attempts by Pakistan to boost terror activities from across the Line of Control. In the last 24 hours, 10 heavily- armed intruders and terrorists have been successfully eliminated," he said.

Joint Resistance Leadership, an amalgam of Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Geelani, moderate Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik, who spearheaded last year's unrest, have called for two days' shutdown against the killing of terrorists in Kashmir.

& Analysis

The killing has raised the morale of the security forces who have been facing hostile crowds during operations in south Kashmir.
Sabzar's killing will have a cascading effect on terrorists as he was the main jihadi motivator of Hizbul.
The Hizbul commander's death also sends a message that no matter how big a terrorist is, he will ultimately be neutralised by security forces.

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