Srinagar, July 18: Four army personnel and an equal number of militants were killed and four armymen, including a colonel were injured in separate encounters in Kashmir Valley since last night, official sources said today. In a major strike, heavily-armed militants ambushed an army patrol party at village Bonikote in Bandipora area of Baramulla district in north Kashmir in the early hours today, killing three jawans and wounding three others, they said.

Army reinforcements laid a cordon around the whole area immediately after the ambush and launched house-to-house searches to nab the militants who managed to escape, the sources said adding further details are awaited.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

In another major gunfight in Baramulla, three militants of Hizbul Mujahideen, including a self-styled battalion commander, and a soldier were killed and an army officer was seriously injured at Alibagh near Haigam in Sopore area last night.

The encounter started when troops of Rashtriya Rifles confronted the militants hiding in a field. The militants were asked to surrender but they opened fire killing a soldier, Jatinder and wounding Col. Atul Joshi. The troops returned fire and in the ensuing gunfight lasting more than two hours, Hizbul battalion commander Ghulam Rasool Mala, his close associate Javid Dar and an unidentified militant were killed.

Three AK rifles, a wireless set, five grenades and some ammunition were recovered from them, the sources said.
Bureau Report