2 civilians shot dead, gunfight in Kupwara

SRINAGAR: In a late night terror strike, militants on Wednesday shot dead two civilians in Kulgam district, even as an counter-insurgency operation against militants in Kupwara district was called off owing to darkness after a lull in exchange of fire.
Two persons were killed after militants fired upon them at DH Pora in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Wednesday night.
“The militants opened firing on Ghulam Hassan Wagay and Sirajuddin Gorsi at their residences in Nandimarg area of Kulgam around 10.45 pm,” officials said.
They said both the men died on the spot, adding that security forces rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area to nab the attackers.
Meanwhile, an encounter broke out between militants and security forces in Kupwara district on Wednesday.
A search operation was launched by security forces in Zurhama forest area of Kupwara on information about presence of militants there, following which the encounter broke out, the officials said.
This is the first gun battle between militants and security forces since the nationwide lockdown came in to force on March 25 to control the spread of coronavirus.
“The soldiers manning the fence near ‘Guguldar Teen Behak’ in the Jumgund area of the LoC intercepted a group of militants believed to be 5 to 6 in number at around 1:00 pm.
“The militants while trying to infiltrate in this side were challenged by the army, triggering off a brief exchange of gunfire,” officials said.
After the initial fierce battle, there was a lull in firing amid inclement weather, they said. However, the firing resumed and continued for some time and there was lull again.
When reports last came in, the operation was suspended owing to darkness and snowfall in the area.
Meanwhile, additional reinforcement of the forces were rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area to prevent militants from escaping.

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