Jammu & Kashmir, May 22 : Two militants killed in a gunfight with the security forces in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Wednesday morning were affiliated with Hizb ul Mujahideen outfit.
An official identified the slain as Zahid Ahmad Mantoo son of Bashir Ahmad Mantoo from Feeripora Shopian and Irfan Manzoor son of Manzoor Ahmad Bhat resident of Paonwhi Kulgam.
He said Zahid was active from 25 August 2018 while Irfan had joined militancy on 5 April 2019.
Both were affiliated with Hizb ul Mujahideen militant outfit, he said, adding that their bodies were handed over to the next of their kin.
Witnesses said that multiple rounds of funeral prayers were held for the slain at their native areas.
The duo were killed in a gunfight that broke out before dawn in Gopalpora area of Damhal-Hanjipora in Kulgam.
“On a credible input, a cordon & search operation was launched by police and security forces at Gopalpora of D.H. Pora area in district Kulgam. During the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter,” said a police official.
In the ensuing encounter, both the militants were killed. “Incriminating material including arms & ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter,” he said.
Local reports said that three houses were damaged during the course of the gunfight that raged for several hours.
