Two Hizb Militants killed in Sopore gunfight; SP,SI injured

Sopore, February 4 Two Hizbul Mujahideen commanders were killed in a brief gunfight at Amargarh locality of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district Saturday while two top police officers including Superintendent of Police (SP) operations received injuries. Sources said that after receiving the inputs about the militant movement a naka was laid in Amargarh area. The militants who were travelling in a private vehicle were challenged; however, they resorted to indiscriminate firing. The retaliatory fire killed both the militants.A police official said that information was received that militants were travelling in a vehicle the government forces immediately swung into action and intercepted them near Amargarh Sopore. “While being challenged militants lobbed a grenade and fired upon police party in which SP operation Baramulla Shafqat Hussain and a Sub Inspector of Police Mohammad Murtaza were injured. In the retaliatory action two militants were killed whose identity is being ascertained,” he said.According to SSP Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain, the militants were boarding a car and were enroute to Srinagar to carry out militant action. “Before they could do anything we neutralized them,” he said while speaking to media men. Police said two AK series rifles, one pistol, 4 hand grenades and other arms and ammunition was recovered from the encounter site. police said that the identity of the deceased militants are still not knownMeanwhile, Hizbul Mujahideen said that the duo belonged to Hizb and termed their killing a big loss. The Hizb, according to reports, identified the duo as Azaharuddin, alias Ghazi Umar of Kupwara and Sajad Ahmed, alias Babar of Sopore. Azaharuddin alias Ghazi Umar was a lecturer by profession who had abdicated the government service and had joined Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the reports added.Police said both were senior commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen were involved in many militant activities. “Sajad of Eidipora Bomai Sopore was an active militant of HM who had gone to Pakistan in March 2016 on passport and infiltrated to take command of HM in Sopore,” it said. Police handout said adding that two AK series rifles, one pistol, 4 hand grenades and other arms and ammunition was recovered from the encounter site. Meanwhile Militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen paid rich tribute to its two militants who according to the outfit were killed in a fierce gun battle with Indian troopers in Amargarh area of North Kashmir’s Sopore town. Operational Spokesperson Hizbul Mujhadeen Burhanuddin told CNS that two of its commanders attained martyrdom in North Kashmir. He identified the duo as Azaharuddin alias Ghazi Umar and Sajad Ahmed alias Babar. “Both were local militants who had been affiliated with the outfit for quite some time. Azaharuddin alias Ghazi Umar was a lecturer by profession who had abdicated the government service and had joined Hizbul Mujhadeen,” the spokesperson said and claimed that many Indian troopers were seriously wounded in the encounter Describe the death of these two militants as a big loss for the outfit, Burhanuddin said that Hizb Deputy Chief Commander Saifullah Khalid and Field Operational Commander Mehmood Ghaznavi paid rich tributes to the them and reiterated that struggle against India will continue till it is not taken to its logical conclusion.