Six militants, one soldier killed in Shopian encounter; civilian dies in 'clashes after gunfight'

One Indian Army soldier and six terrorists were killed in an encounter in Kapran Batagund area of Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district early on Sunday morning. A civilian was also killed while four other locals were injured in the crossfire near the site of the encounter, sparking clashes between groups of youth and security forces in the area, a police official told PTI.

According to News18, an army official said security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the area after receiving specific information about the presence of militants. The search operation had turned into an encounter after the militants fired on the forces, who then retaliated, he said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police said they had identified five of the militants as Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, Mohammad Abass Bhatt, Umar Majeed Ganaie, Mohd Waseem Wagay and Khalid Farooq Mali, while the sixth is believed to be from Pakistan, ANI reported. Security forces also recovered weapons and other ammunition.

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ANI quoted SSP (Shopian) Sandeep Chaudhary as saying that four of the militants belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen and two were members of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Chaudhary added that the district commanders of both outfits had been killed in the encounter in Shopian.

The soldier who was killed in the Shopian encounter was identified as Naik Nazir Ahmad.

After the encounter in Shopian, mobile internet services were suspended in the district as a precaution to prevent the spread of rumours, ANI reported. Civilians also pelted stones at the forces.

The civilian killed in the crossfire has been identified as Noman Ashraf Bhat of Bolsoo. He reportedly sustained a bullet injury during that clashes that followed the Shopian encounter and died in hospital.