A top Pakistani Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist and his local accomplice were killed on Monday in a fierce gunfight with security forces in the Old Barzulla area of Srinagar, the police said.

Saifullah, the Pakistani terrorist who masterminded at least three attacks on security forces during the past month, was killed in the encounter with security forces, a police official said.

He said Saifullah was the first Pakistani terrorist to be killed in several years during an operation in Srinagar.

Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the Old Barzulla locality of the city in the early hours of Monday after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants in the area, the official said.

The official said around 7:45 am, when the searches were going on, militants fired at the forces, leading to an encounter.

Two militants were killed in the gunfight, the official said.

Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said Saifullah was a Pakistani and a top commander of the LeT and was involved in several recent attacks on security forces in and around Srinagar.

“A top Lashkar commander from Pakistan, named Saifullah, has been killed in the operation. He was involved in three back-to-back major attacks on security forces in Nowgam, Chadoora and Kandizaal here,” Dilbag Singh told a press conference at the Police Control Room here.

The DGP said Srinagar city had witnessed eight encounters so far this year in which 18 militants have been killed.

“In total, this year so far 75 successful anti-militancy operations have been carried out in which 180 terrorists have been killed. Also, 138 militants and their associates have been arrested this year,” he said. — PT

Courtesy : Daily Tribune:  12th October, 2020