Posted on 06/20/2002 11:36:51 AM PDT by swarthyguy
RAMBAN, June 19: The Border Security Forces (BSF) today gunned down three commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment (HMPPR) in a fierce gun-battle at village Nausingha in Gool area of Ramban police district.
Three slain commanders were holding an important ‘strategy session’ in a hideout in Nausingha where they were eliminated after two hour long gun-fighting by the jawans of BSF’s 102 battalion, official sources here said.
They said the BSF personnel got an information last night that HMPPR commanders were meeting in a hideout at Nausingha to chalk out their ‘operational tactics’ in Gool area in a bid to step-up their attacks on security forces and selected individuals.
On the basis of this information, the BSF jawans launched a search operation in Nausingha. While the jawans were in process of surrounding the terrorists’ hideout, they were fired upon by the ultras. Security personnel retaliated.
A heavy exchange of firing between the two sides that started at 0430 hours today continued for about two hours in which all three commanders of HMPPR outfit were killed. Security forces didn’t suffer any casualties in the operation.
Slain commanders, whose bodies were recovered from the hideout this morning, have been identified as Zishan Gul, district commander, Shaheen Gaznabi, group commander and Khalid Inqullabi, area commander of HMPPR. The trio were Pakistanis.
Recoveries made from the hideout included three AK-56 rifles, four magazines, 230 rounds, one grenade, three Chinese grenades and one wireless set.
BSF jawans continued a search operation in Nausingha forests following reports that about half a dozen activists of HMPPR had taken shelter there. An operation continued throughout the day today but there were no reports of any fresh encounter between security personnel and the terrorists, the sources said.
Our Poonch correspondent adds: Army and police gunned gunned down a terrorist in a joint search operation at village Chowki Marh in Behram Gala area of Surankote tehsil in Poonch district this evening. He has been identified as Abu Mansuma, an activist of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit.
One AK-47 rifle, one magazine, 17 rounds and a wireless set were recovered from the possession of slain terrorist, who hailed from Kotli district of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), the sources said.
Two associates of Abu Mansuma escaped during the encounter and were being chased by army and police jawans, they said.
Meanwhile, a police party led by SHO Surankote carried out a search operation in Marhot area and recovered 10 batteries of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and one wireless set in damaged condition.
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