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Top Hizbul commander Riyaz Naikoo killed in gunfight in South Kashmir, mobile internet suspended
Armed forces had launched 3 operations in the district
Mobile internet has been shut down
Srinagar: Top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo was killed in a gunfight with armed forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Naikoo was trapped in a village in South Kashmir as the armed forces launched three operations in different areas of the district, officials said on Wednesday.
He carried a reward on his head and his killing would be considered a big blow to Hizbul’s operations in the Valley.
Naikoo was considered a stealth master, and gave the armed forces a tough time, successfully carrying out a series of attacks against the armed forces in the last few years.
The multiple location operation against Naikoo, was launched on Tuesday night on a specific input, was also in progress at Beigpora in Awantipora and Pulwama, when reports last came.
Another militant was also killed in Sarshali in Awantipora area of the district in one of the operations, which was still underway in the village, they said. According to a news channel, Naikoo’s bodyguard is also believed to have been killed in the operation which began late last night.
Update. In the ongoing encounter at Sarshali, #Khrew,#Awantipur
One terrorist killed so far.
Details shall follow. https://t.co/jcoE9l6Bon— J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) May 6, 2020
The operation was jointly conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army and the CRPF.
“Contact established in the third operation at #Beighpors #Awantipur. Top terrorist commander is trapped. Exchange of fire on. Details shall follow,” J&K police had tweeted.
The administration suspended mobile internet services in the Valley.
The last two months have seen a series of operations in the Kashmir region.
In the past three days, eight armed force personnel, including the commanding officer of the army’s 21 Rashtriya Rifles, were killed in two separate gunfights in Handwara.
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