Major among 4 armymen, 4 militants dead in separate encounters

Srinagar, Sept 23 (PTI) A Major and three other army
personnel were killed in two separate long-drawn gunbattles
with militants in North Kashmir during which four terrorists,
including two top Pakistani Hizbul Mujahideen commanders, were
also shot dead.

While the encounter in Bandipora district ended
Wednesday evening after 25 hours, the other in a forest in
Baramulla district continued to rage for the third day.

Acting on information about the presence of Hizbul
commanders Pasha and Mussa in a house at Boniyari village of
Bandipora, Major J S Suri and a lance naik entered the
premises from the roof to take the militants by surprise,
official sources said.

However, the militants opened fire killing Suri and the
lance naik on the spot.

Soon after, a team of Rashtriya Rifles men stormed the
house to flush out the militants but came under heavy fire.

After a night-long lull, the militants resumed firing
Wednseady morning, sparking another round of gunbattle in
which Mussa and Pasha, both top commanders of Hizbul
Mujahideen who were active in North Kashmir for a long time,
were killed.

They said the encounter also left 4 armymen, including
two officers, a lieutenant colonel and a major, injured.

Mussa, a former Lashkar-e-Taiba militant, and Pasha were
Pakistani nationals involved in several militancy-related
incidents in the state.

The encounter in a forest in Panzla area of Baramulla,
which began on Monday, has so far left two armymen, including
a marine commando, and two terrorists dead and three security
personnel injured. (more) PTI