Troops kill 2 militants in separate gunfights in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Two militants were killed Tuesday in two separate gunfights with Indian troops in restive Indian controlled Kashmir, officials said.

A militant yet to be identified was killed in the ongoing gunfight at village Zoonareshi in frontier Kupwara district, about 125 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Another militant belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant outfit was killed at Tehlipora village of Shopian district, about 65 km south of Srinagar.

"One militant was killed in Shopian, while another one was killed in Kupwara," Col N N Joshi, Indian military spokesman told Xinhua. "The Shopian gunfight has stopped this morning, while the search operation in Kupwara is still going on."

Police officials said the gunfight at both places triggered after joint contingents of police and military cordoned off the places on specific intelligence information about presence of militants.

The slain militant in Shopian was identified as Farooq Ahmad Sheikh, a local cadre of HM.

Unconfirmed reports said two other militants managed to break off the cordon and escaped during initial exchange of fire in Shopian.

Hundreds of people in the morning attended funeral prayers of Sheikh, locals said. People including women and children gathered to mourn his killing. The mourners shouted pro-freedom and anti-India slogans as militants body mounted on stretcher was taken for burial.

The Shopian town and adjacent areas observed a complete shutdown to protest the killing.

Joshi said two assault rifles were recovered from the gunfight sites in Kupwara and Shopian.

Police said, on Monday, a top militant was killed and two others were arrested in a frontier village of Chaprian in Poonch district. The militant according to police was killed after he slipped into a gorge in a police chase.

Meanwhile, suspected militants shot dead a man in Kulgam district for his alleged links with intelligence agencies. The man was fired upon in his village on late Monday evening. Reports said his sister is a member of village level body and a grassroots level political worker associated with ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

Militants in the region usually target families and individuals for their possible links with Indian police and defense agencies. Even people having associations with pro-India political parties are targeted at times.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. Gunfights between the two sides takes place intermittently across the region.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endit