Srinagar, Jul 19: After witnessing a decline during the peak of Covid-19 pandemic, the encounters in Jammu and Kashmir especially in South Kashmir, the hot bed of militancy have shown spurt with Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit losing 20 of its men in last 20 days.

Figures  suggest that in the last 20 days, South Kashmir witnessed eight encounters in which 20 militants were killed, all of them affiliated with the LeT outfit.

Of eight encounters, three were reported in Kulgam district, three in Pulwama and one each in Anantnag and Shopian districts.

Notably, 20 killed militants include three top commanders namely Neeshaz Lone of Tral Pulwama, Aarif Hajam of Sadoora, Anantnag, Ishfaq Ahmad Dar from Heff Shopian.

Police termed the killing of Neeshaz, Aarif and Ishfaq a big success and said that trio were involved in series of militancy related incidents

Pertinently, on June 30, three militants were killed in an encounter in Chimmer Noorabad area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

The slain militants were identified as Waseem Ahmad Bangroo of Redwani, Kulgam, missing since June 19, and Shahbaz Ahmad from Shopian who was active since 2020.

Zakir Bashir from Chimmer, DH Pora Kulgam, who according to police had joined ranks recently was the third slain.

On July 2, five militants including a top commander were killed in a 17 hour long encounter in Hanjan village of Rajpora hamlet of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

They were identified as Nishaz Hussain Lone alias Khitab (district commander LeT) son of Manzoor Ahmed Lone, active since 2018, resident of Nageenpora Tral, Danish Manzoor Shiekh son of Manzoor Ahmad resident of Sathergund Kakapora, Amir Wagay son of Ab Gani Wagay resident of Hanjan Payeen, Manzoor lone from Gurez and a foreign militant identified as Abu Rehan alias Tawheed resident of Pakistan. All the killed militants were linked with LeT.

On July 08, four militants were killed in two separate encounters in South Kashmir’s Pulwama and Kulgam district.

In Pulwama two militants namely Kifayat Ramzan from Padgampora and Inayat Ahmad Dar Samboora were killed in an encounter in Puchal area of the district while in Kulgam two militants identified as Shahbaz Ahmad Shah a resident of Katrusu Kulgam and Nasir Ahmad Pandith from Redwani Kulgam were killed in brief encounter in Zadora Kulgam.

On July 09, militants managed to give slip to forces after exchange of fire in the Redwani area of Kulgam. However, July 10 saw the killing of three militants in Sadoor Anantnag who were identified as Basit Ahmad from Telwani Anantnag, Suhail Ahmad from Pulwama and Aarif Hajam of Sadoora. The trio was killed in an encounter in the Kwaripora area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Police officials told KNO that among the 15 slain militants, two were top commanders of the outfit and all the slain were affiliated with the LeT outfit.

On July 14, three LeT militants identified as LeT commander Aijaz alias Abu Huraira, resident of Pakistan, Javeed Ahmad Rather son of Abdul Ganie Rather, resident of Tahab Pulwama, and Shahnawaz Nazir Ganie son of Nazir Ahmad Ganie, resident of Samboora, Awantipora were killed in an encounter in new colony area of Pulwama town

On July 19, top LeT commander identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Dar from Heff Shopian and his newly joined associate Majid Iqbal from Nowpora Imamsahib were killed in an encounter in Check Sadiq Khan village of Shopian district.