‘Out of total 69 militants killed so far, outfit looses top commander among 22 men; 28 militants killed alone in April’
Abid Bashir
Srinagar : In the intensified anti-militancy operations launched by the J&K’s security grid in Kashmir this year, Hizbul Mujahideen outfit has faced the maximum damage as the outfit alone has lost 22 of its men including its chief operational commander Reyaz Naikoo, official figures reveal.
Official data accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), suggests that the month of April has been damaging for the overall militancy in Kashmir but Hizb faced the maximum brunt.
Data compiled by the J&K Police states that in the intensified anti-militancy operations launched by the security agencies—police, army and the CRPF in Kashmir from January 2020, overall 69 militants were killed who were associated with different outfits. “Of the total 69 militants killed since January 20 were unidentified,” the figures state. The 20 foreign militants killed in various encounters are believed to be those who had managed to sneak into this side of fence last and early this year.
Of the total 69 militants killed 18 militants were killed in Jammu region while remaining 47 all were killed in various gunfights in Kashmir. “Hizbul Mujahideen lost 20 militants all of them local,” say official figures, available with the KNO.
Similarly, six Lashkar-e-Toiba militants were killed in various encounters since January this year while as Jaish-e-Muhammad lost 11 militants, five of them locals and three foreigners. “Three militants belonging to Ansaar Gazwatul Hind (AGH) and three from Islamic State of J&K were also killed since January this year,” the figures state.
Till May 04, police records disclose that 64 militants were killed in J&K. On May 6, in two separate encounters one at Beighpora, Pulwama, Hizb lost its chief operational commander Reyaz Naikoo, who was active since past eight years. His aide was also killed along with him. Police termed Naikoo’s killing as a major success for the security forces and claimed that his killing will help contain militancy in Kashmir. On the same day, three Jaish-e-Muhammad militants were killed in an encounter at Khrew area of Southern Pulwama district, taking the number of total militants killed this year so far to 69.
Police records show that this year 20 unidentified militants were also killed in various encounters of which five alone were killed in the Keran gunfight in northern Kupwara district in which army also lost five soldiers from the Special Forces Squad including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO).
The month-wise break-up shows that April has been most damaging for the militant outfits in J&K as 28, the highest number of militants were killed in this month alone. “Eighteen militants were killed in the month of January, seven each in February and March, and 28 in April,” the figures state.
In the current month, five militants were killed, all of them on May 6 in two separate gunbattles in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. As far the district-wise breakup, figures show that majority of militants were killed in southern districts of Kashmir. “Sixteen militants were killed in Pulwama till May 3,” the figures reveal. On May 6, five militants were also killed in the same district taking the total number of militants killed in the district to 21.
“Twelve militants were killed in Shopian, nine in Kulgam and seven in Anantnag. Two militants were killed in Srinagar, and one in Budgam district,” the figures disclose. “Similarly in Jammu, three militants were killed in Jammu, two in Kishtwar, and one in Doda.”—(KNO)
