Srinagar, July 15: Five militants were killed in two separate encounters with security forces, while three persons including a counter-insurgent associated with Ikhwan were injured in shooting incidents in Kashmir Valley today official sources said. Four unidentified militants were killed in a fierce gunbattle with a joint search party of 41 Rashtriya Rifles and police at village Gurdali in Kalaroos area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir this morning, the sources said. They said the encounter took place when security forces raided the village to flush out hiding militants. A huge cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain Militaounter, the sources said security forces killed a Hizbul Mujahideen militant Sartaj Ahmad Lone during search operations at village Zainapora in Shopian area of Pulwama district in south Kashmir.

The search operation was launched in the village last night and was continuing when last reports were received today the sources said.
The sources said militants shot at and critically wounded an Ikhwan activist Ghulam Hassan Itoo, a resident of Dooru, near the Deputy Police Commissioner's office in Anantnag this afternoon.

A shopkeeper Mohammad Subhan was also injured when his colleagues fired in retaliation. However, militants managed to escape after the shooting.
Bureau Report