Top Lashkar commanders killed in J&K

As the army killed two militants in an encounter at Maidanpora forests in Lolab valley (Kupwara district), the security establishment is worried about the suspected infiltration by Taliban militants into Kashmir.

The encounter entered the third day on Tuesday, and in a renewed gunfight two senior Lashkar commanders — Abu Mawaya and Abu Musa alias — were killed, according to defence spokesman lieutenant colonel JS Brar.

Two soldiers, naik Vipin Thakur and paratrooper Kamaljeet Singh of the 9 Para regiment, have lost their lives since the encounter began.

There has been increased infiltration from across the line of control for the past month. Reports suggest that more than 50 terrorists may have sneaked in.

Seventeen militants and eight soldiers, including an army major, were killed in a six-day encounter at Drangyari and Hafradu forests, Kupwara district, which started on March 20. Most of the slain militants were highly motivated and had infiltrated recently.

What shocked the security establishment is that Hizb-ul-Mujhadeen is collaborating with the Taliban. Sources said that on April 3, detained Jamat-ud-dawa chief Hafiz Mohd Saeed lashed out at the Taliban for extending its operations to Kashmir. He criticised Hizb for supporting them. 

A high-level meeting of security forces here on Monday discussed infiltration and the gunfights in Lolaab and other parts of north Kashmir.

But the head of the hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, denied that the Taliban had sneaked into India. He told a newspaper here that neither Al Qaeda nor Taliban were in the region.