Shopian military Op enters Day 6; search continues for 2nd militant

Srinagar: Armed forces on Thursday continued their anti-militancy operation in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, intensifying efforts to trace a second suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant a day after an LeT commander was killed in a military operation.

The operation, now in its sixth consecutive day, is being carried out jointly by the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF in the Meemandar-Chanapora area following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of two militants.

Officials said armed forces exchanged fire with the militants twice during the operation, first on Saturday evening and again on Wednesday morning.

“Searches are continuing to trace the second terrorist, who is believed to be hiding in the area,” an official said.

On Wednesday, armed forces killed local LeT commander Zakir Ahmad Ganai during the operation. Ganai, a resident of Motalhama village in Kulgam district, had joined the outfit in September 2023, officials said.

Officials added that the operation will continue until the area is fully sanitised and the remaining militant is either apprehended or neutralised.