FRESH ENCOUNTER IN KASHMIR NATIONAL MEDIA NOT BOTHERED

2 militants killed in Valley

SRINAGAR, Oct 3: In a major success against Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, security forces today eliminated a top LeT commander who was reactivating militancy in South Kashmir, while one militant was killed in an on going fierce encounter in Kupwara.
Police said that security forces launched a major operation against LeT commander when they received information about his presence in the village Shubdani, near Newa, Pulwama district.
A joint operation was launched by the Army's 55 Rashtriya Rifles during which one Lashkar-e-Toiba militant identified as Abdul Rehman alias Rehman Bhai, a Pakistani national was killed. He was nominated as divisional commander of LeT, North Kashmir also after the death of Abdullah Uni recently.
Army said Abdul Rehman was active in Sopore since past 11 years and in Pulwama since 2007. One INSAS rifle, three AK magazines, 90 rounds of AK ammunition and war like stores were recovered till reports from the village came.
A police spokesman said that Rehman Bhai was involved in number of attacks on police and security forces including the IED blast outside Central Jail Srinagar in September 2009 in which 5 police men were killed.
He was also involved in the killing of an ASI at Imam Sahib, Shopian, besides his involvement was also established in the killing of two policemen in Pulwama, the spokesman added.
Police said Abdul Rehman infiltrated in 2005 into Kashmir valley and was operating in Kupwara area where he came in contact with Al-Badr Chief Zeenat-ul-Islam alias Zahid. He shifted his base to South Kashmir in 2007 and worked under a local LeT commander Gazi. After the elimination of Gazi, he took over as the divisional commander of LeT in South Kashmir.
Abdul Rehman was trying to reactivate the militancy in South Kashmir by making local inductions and instrumental in recycling of many released militants.
In another encounter that is still going on in Dardpura, Trehgam sector of Kupwara district, Army said that they killed one militant so far.
Army said that the operation was launched early in the morning after reports of militant presence in the village were received by the security forces. The encounter took place when militants opened fire on an advance party of security forces. The operation was still going on when reports last came in.