Dreaded Militant and IED Expert Zeenat-ul-Islam Among 2 Killed in Kulgam Encounter

Srinagar: Two militants, including the one of the dreaded and oldest militants Zeenat-ul-Islam, were killed on Saturday in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district, police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Katpora area in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday evening after receiving specific information about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

As the forces were conducting the searches, the militants fired upon them. The forces retaliated, ensuing an encounter in which two militants were killed, he said.

Arms and ammunition were recovered from the encounter site, the official said, adding that no collateral damage has been reported.

One of them was identified as dreaded militant Zeenat-ul-Islam, who was associated with the terror group Al Badr, the official said, adding that the identity of the second militant is being ascertained.

Zeenat, considered as an improvised explosive device (IED) expert, was earlier associated with Hizbul Mujahideen, the official said.