Security forces kill 13 militants in Kashmir: Hizbul Mujahideen delivered major blow in biggest single-day operation in recent times

The Hizbul Mujahideen, which draws its cadre mostly from the Kashmir Valley, has been dealt a serious blow by security forces on Sunday. At least six of its cadres were killed in a counter-insurgency operation in Dragad village of Shopian district in south Kashmir.

At least 13 militants were killed in all on Sunday in three separate encounters.

One of the operations took place at Brunty Dialgam in Anantnag district in the intervening night between Saturday and Sunday. Altaf Ahmad Khan, Superintendent of Police, Anantnag,  said that a joint team of police, army and CRPF personnel had launched a cordon there.

During the operation, a militant, Rouf Bashir Khanday, was killed. Khanday, a resident of Dehruna village of Dooru, was said to have joined Hizbul Mujahideen last week. Another militant, Imran Rashid, was captured alive.

Among the militants killed at Druggad, two were involved in the killing of Lt Ummer Fayaz , according to the army. Lt Fayaz was killed by militants in 2017 at a wedding, according to AK Bhat, the corps commander of the Chinar corps. “We have avenged his death,” Bhat said.

“Two army soldiers also lost their lives in two encounters at Dialgam and Kachidoora villages,” Bhat said in a press conference held at the military base of Victor forces in Awantipora. “I appeal to the youths to not get lured by weapons. Anybody who uses weapons will be dealt with in the same manner that we dealt with the terrorists today,” he added.

Three security personnel are said to have lost their lives in all.

After news of a third encounter broke out in Kachidoora village, hundreds of protesters came out on the streets and threw stones at the forces, hoping to free the trapped militants in a residential area.

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid tweeted on Sunday evening that three bodies of militants were recovered in Kachidoora.

Three bodies of terrorists recovered in Kachidoora Shopian. https://t.co/N4tm9iBv69

— Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) April 1, 2018

In the course of the day, over 100 civilians were injured in clashes near two gunfight sites in Shopian, as people tried to move towards gunfight sites to help the militants escape the cordon. The government forces used live ammunition to disperse protesters, triggering massive clashes, which also left four civilians dead. At least 50 people were brought to the district hospital in Shopian for treatment.

Twenty of them were referred to Srinagar for specialised treatment. More than thirty people were brought to the district hospital in Kulgam. Out of them, 22 were referred to Srinagar, as they were hit by bullets.

One of the civilians killed during the encounter at Kachidoora was Zubair Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Gopalpora village of Kulgam. After being injured during the clashes, he was admitted at the district hospital at Kulgam. He later succumbed to his injuries there.

SP Vaid said in a press conference that one encounter is still ongoing. He further stated that 25 civilians received pellet injuries.

This was arguably one of the biggest anti-militancy operations in a single day in the last seven years.

The fresh killings are part of a massive crackdown launched by forces in south Kashmir.

The Hizbul Mujahideen has suffered heavy casualties after security forces launched an all-out operation last year in south Kashmir to wipe out militancy from the area. The operations are likely to put a brake on the continuous trend of local youths joining militancy in the area.

However, the new face of insurgency in the Kashmir Valley is becoming deadlier by the day, as new young boys regularly join the ranks of militancy. 

In 2017, the government forces launched ‘Operation All Out’ to wipe out militancy from the region and killed at least 213 militants in 2017. Despite that, around 124 locals joined the militant ranks in 2017. In the first three months of 2018, 27 people turned to militancy.

The Jammu and Kashmir government ordered the closure of all schools and colleges on Monday, in view of the situation in south Kashmir. The government also shut mobile internet services across the valley on Sunday as a ‘precautionary measure,’ officials said.

Thousands of people attended the funeral prayers of militants in different areas of south Kashmir. Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said on Sunday:

More havoc for #Kashmiris who are at the receiving end of execution and repression as the toll of civilians brutally killed has risen to 2 while 8 militants have been martyred,100s of people injured and many hit in the eye by pellets used by Indian forces in #Shopian.

— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) April 1, 2018

As long as Govt of India address the political and humanitarian problem of Kashmir militarily and through force Kashmiri will continue to die or be forced to pick up arms for resistance and the onus for this and its repercussions is completely on them.

— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) April 1, 2018