A major encounter took place in Kulgam, South Kashmir, where five militants were killed in a gunfight with a joint team of J&K Police and Indian Army personnel. Two Army soldiers sustained injuries during the operation.

Top Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Among the Slain
The operation targeted a militant hideout in Kadder village after intelligence inputs indicated the presence of militants. One of the killed militants, Farooq Ahmad Bhat, was a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander and the longest-surviving militant in the Kashmir Valley. Bhat, who had been active for nearly a decade, was on the region’s most-wanted list and was known by aliases like Umer and Farooq Nali.

Details of the Encounter
The joint forces had cordoned off the area in the early hours of Thursday. Militants attempted to break the security cordon by rushing out of a house and opening fire. This led to a gunfight in which the five militants, all from Kulgam, were neutralized. Other militants identified in the encounter included Mushtaq Ahmad Itoo, Adil Hussain, Yasir Javid, and Mohammad Irfan.

Additional Information
The militants’ belongings, including Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards, and ATM cards, were recovered at the scene. The search operation continued following the encounter.

Significance of Kulgam
This is the second significant gunfight in Kulgam this year. In July, two separate encounters resulted in the death of six militants and two soldiers.