22 terrorists, including 8 top commanders, eliminated in J&K in last 15 days

At least 22 terrorists, including 8 top commanders, have been killed in the last 15 days in Jammu and Kashmir by security forces, sources have said.

The operations were stepped up soon after Eid festival with more vigour focussing on top terror leadership, leading to terrorists being neutralised without any collateral damage, the sources added. 

Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK) commander Adil Ahmad Wani and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) cadre Shaheen Ahmad Thoker were killed on May 25 at Khud Hanjipora Kulgam while Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Parvaiz Ahmad Pandith and JeM commander Shakir Ahmed Itoo were neutralised on May 30 at Wanpora Kulgam.

Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group commander Aaqib Ramzan Wani and Awanitpora JeM commander Mohammad Maqbool Chopan were eliminated on June 2 at Saimoo Tral Awantipora.

As per the sources, on June 3, in a major breakthrough, JeM top commander Fauji Bhai, who was a resident of Pakistan, HM top commander Manzoor Ahmad Kar, JeM commander Javaid Ahmad Zargar were neutralised at Kangan Pulwama.

HM top commander Ishfaq Ahmad Itoo, JeM top commander Owais Ahmad Malik were killed on June 7 at Reban Shopian. Three HM commanders- Adil Ahmad Mir, Bilal Ahmad Bhat and Sajad Ahmad Wagay were also neutralised in the same encounter.

On June 7, HM operation commander Umer Mohiuddin Dhobi, LeT top commander Rayees Ahmad Khan along with HM commanders Saqlain Ahmad Wagay and Wakeel Ahmad Naikoo were eliminated at Reban Shopian.

Apart from Fauji Bhai, all terrorists were locals of Jammu and Kashmir and most of them hail from districts of Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama.

Sources said in addition to the 18 above terrorists, four more terrorists were neutralised in Rajouri on May 28 from a newly infiltrated group. Three were killed along LoC in Nowshera sector and one in Kalakote who had managed to reach the area after infiltrating from across the border.

Three over ground workers (OGW) -- Muzaffer Ahmad Naik, Jan Mohd Najar and Azad Ahmad -- who worked for HM terror outfit, were arrested by the Awantipora Police.

According to sources, "Pakistan based agencies are engineering and indicating some retaliatory terror attacks through their proxies like TRF, LeT, JeM in the form of IED/standoff/suicide attacks in response to the heavy losses suffered by various terror outfits in last two weeks."

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir`s Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said that 88 terrorists have been killed this year in around 36 operations.

Meanwhile, three terrorists were killed in Sugoo area of Shopian district on Wednesday, the Indian Army said.