J&K: Longest-surviving Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist among 3 killed in encounter
Three terrorists were killed by security forces in Jammu & Kashmir's Pahalgam, which is part of the Anantnag district and a key route for the Amarnath Yatra, on Friday. The police described the encounter as a major success in preventing possible terror attacks along the Yatra route. According to the police, one of the three terrorists killed was among the longest-surviving Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists.
Why does this story matter?
Pahalgam is a tourist destination in south Kashmir that serves as a base camp for Amarnath Yatra, which will resume on June 30 after a two-year-long break. "Ashraf Molvi...along with two other terrorists killed. Successful operation on the Yatra route is a major success for us (sic)," Vijay Kumar, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone), said in a tweet by the Kashmir Zone Police.
Who were the terrorists killed today?
According to the police, Muhammad Ashraf Khan alias Molvi, 57, was killed in the woods of Pahalgam's Batkoot area by a joint team of the army's 19 Rashtriya Rifles, paramilitary CRPF, and J&K Police. On August 2, 2021, his name was reportedly added to the J&K Police's top ten terrorists list. The two terrorists killed on Friday—Roshan Zameer and Rafiq Ahmad—were both locals.
A well-planned operation based on intelligence inputs
The security personnel had launched a cordon-and-search operation in Pahalgam, reportedly based on specific information regarding the presence of terrorists in a forest. The operation, however, turned into a gunfight after the hiding terrorists shot at security forces.
Who was Molvi, the longest-surviving Hizbul terrorist?
Molvi was an A++ category terrorist from Anantnag, Deccan Herald reported. According to the police, he has been active since 2013 and pivotal in hiring locals into militancy. Molvi was appointed as the Hizbul Mujahideen's operational chief in May 2020, following the demise of Riyaz Naikoo, who was gunned down by security forces in a high-risk counter-terrorism operation in the Pulwama district.
66 terrorists killed in Kashmir in 2022
To note, as per the official figures, the security personnel in Kashmir have gunned down as many as 66 terrorists in 2022, including 20 foreigners, so far. Meanwhile, 12 soldiers and 10 civilians have also lost their lives.
