Militant killed in Samboora had joined militancy before Burhan Wani: DGP
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh said that the gunfight that took place at Samboora, Pampore in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district yesterday night was a successful operation and government forces achieved a “big success” by killing one of the longest surviving militant commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit and his close aide.
“The operation at Samboora, Pulwama started yesterday and due to the dark, search operation couldn’t take place. When search was started today morning, two militant bodies were recovered. One of the slain militant has been identified as Aijaz Ahmed Reshi, who was longest surviving militant commanders of Lashkar outfit. He was working as Over Ground Worker (OGW) in 2015 and joined militancy before Burhan Wani,” Director General of Police (DGP) Singh told reporters while addressing press conference at District Police Lines (DPL) Awantipora, Pulwama, as per local news gathering agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO)
He said Mr. Aijaz was a “dangerous militant” who carried out deadly attacks on government forces inflicting heavy casualties. “He took part in an attack at EDI Pampore in which eight Central Reserve Police Force men were killed. He had transported the Lashkar men to the spot as well. At Kadlabal, Pampore, he had fired at an army party killing three soldiers. He had took part in series of attacks on security forces,” the DGP said.
He was the main recruiter for the Lashkar and had recruiteded many youth especially Towseef Khanday, ,Rafiq Dar and Adil Ahmed, all slain Lashkar militants. “ [Mr.]Aijaz was killed along with other local militant Sajad Ahmed Sofi who was recruitment by [Mr.] Aijaz and trained by him only,” the DGP said.
He said that two AK-47 riffles, two magazines, some rounds, and incriminating material was recovered from the slain militants. “The killing of Aijaz Reshi is a big success for security forces and there will be dip in the local militant recruitment where he was operating,” the DGP Singh said. He complimented the 50 RR and 110 battalion unit of CRPF who were part of the operation at Samboora.
To a query about local militancy recruitment in South Kashmir, the DGP said that the graph is low compared to previous years. “In the past 15 days, three youth were brought back. And this year so far, 24 youth who had left homes and joined militancy, were brought back with the active cooperation of their parents,” the DGP Singh said—(KNO)
