Four militants killed in gunfight in Kashmir’s Rafiabad forests

Four militants were killed and an army para-commando was injured in a gunfight in the forests of Rafiabad in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday.

The Army’s 32 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and 9 para-commandos launched an operation in the Hamam Markote forests of Rafiabad on a specific inputs about militant presence in the area.

As the searches were on, militants opened fire on the forces resulting in injuries to a soldier.

Later, four unidentified militants were killed in the encounter.

Army spokesman Rajesh Kalia confirmed the killing of four militants at Hamam forests. “The operation is still going on as there is possibility of presence of more militants in the forests,” he said.

The operation is underway at a place which is used by militants as a transit point after crossing the Line of Control.

Officials said it is not clear whether the militants were fresh infiltrators or they were already in the upper reaches of Rafiabad.

The police said the identity of the slain militants is being ascertained. It is believed that they could be foreigners.

This is the second operation which army launched in north Kashmir in the past two days. Earlier, army had killed two infiltrators in Gurez sector. Four soldiers, including a major, was killed in the operation.

Last year, in a similar operation in the area, four foreign militants were killed and another was captured alive. Officials said militants use the area after sneaking into the Valley from Uri sector.