J&K: 2 militants,8 CRPF jawans killed

Two Lashkar Toiba militants were shot dead during retaliation fire while two more militants fled from the spot, officials said.

Senior official told IBNS that a convoy of CRPF personnel was returning from a firing practice in Lethpora when their vehicle (PB088AT-7914) came under heavy firing attack by suspected militants near Frastable area of Pampore.

“The CRPF men retaliated and the exchange of gunfire continued for around 15 minutes,” the official said.

In the initial exchange of firing, eight CRPF men, including an officer, were killed while 24 others were injured, five of them critically.

Soon after the attack, huge contingents of police, CRPF and army rushed to the spot and cordoned off the entire area and also launched searches. The security men also launched searches in nearby Pantha Chowk and Lasjan areas. No on has been arrested so far.

This is the deadliest attack since 2013 when that year on June 24, militants ambushed an army convoy at Hyderpora Bypass in Srinagar, killing eight army soldiers.

Sources said that the militants were Fidayeen and are apparently foreigners.

Meanwhile, Pakistan based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba claimed responsibility for the attack.

“Two LeT militants belonging to a Fidayeen squad attacked the CRPF bus on highway. It was a successful attack. These type of attacks will continue in future as well,” said spokesperson of LeT Dr Abdullah Ghaznavi in a statement to local news agency based in Srinagar.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)