Militant Held, 3 Killed in Rafiabad

SRINAGAR: At least three militants were killed in an encounter with the army at a forest area of Rafiabad in Baramulla district on Thursday while a Pakistani national was also arrested after the guns fell silent following two days of fierce battle.
As already reported, police and armys 46 RR along with the additional reinforcement of 17 Jak Rif, 4 PARA, 35 RR had intercepted the group of militants after it fled from Bijhama Uri while one of their associate was killed in the area on Wednesday.
Four others had escaped from the spot but were later intercepted by the joint team of army and SOG in the Toot Mar Gali of Nowgam sector (Kupwara).
After about two days, three members of the group were killed while one of them was captured alive, army said.
Army identified the captured militant as 22 year old Sajjad alias Abu Ubadullah, a resident of Muzaffargarh district of Baluchistan, Pakistan.
In a handout to army said that the efficacy of a robust counter infiltration grid has manifested in successful elimination of four militants and capture of one militant over a four days joint operation by the Army and JKP. Based on intelligence inputs about presence of terrorists in the forested area of Rafiabad, at Kazinag Dhar Ridge, a search operation was launched by the Army on August 24 which forced the terrorists to move towards the higher reaches of the ridge. An effective cordon was established by the Army including Special Forces which were inducted by Helicopters to prevent the escape of militants. First contact with the terrorists was established in the morning of 26 August resulting in elimination of one militant. In a slow and systematic operation owing to the difficult terrain and thick foliage, the forces re-established contact with the balance of the terrorists who had taken shelter inside a natural cave in the afternoon of August 26. After a deliberate operation by the Army and JKP which lasted till today afternoon, three more terrorists were eliminated while one terrorist was captured alive along with recovery of huge cache of war like stores which include four AK- 47 Rifles and two UBGLs. The preliminary interrogation reveals that the captured terrorist is a 22 years old LeT operative and belongs to Pakistan. The captured terrorist is now being taken for joint interrogation.

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