Jaish commander Khalid killed by security forces in J-K’s Baramulla

A top Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant, believed to be the mastermind behind the recent suicide attacks in the restive state, was killed on Monday in a brief gunfight with security forces in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Police said the militant was identified as Khalid - the operational commander of the Pakistan-based militant group.

Inspector general of police (Kashmir range) Muneer Khan confirmed his identity.

“The killed militant is Khalid alias Khalid Bhai, the Jaish chief in Kashmir who was behind all the recent fidayeen attacks,’’ Khan told the Hindustan Times.

The killing of Khalid, who sources say was heading all the operations of the JeM in the valley, is another major success for the security forces, who have now gunned down many top militant leaders in the last few months.

According to sources, the encounter took place after security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Ladoora area of Rafiabad following a tipoff about the presence of militants in the area. Officials said as the militants were challenged, they opened fire resulting in the encounter.

Khalid, said to be a Pakistani national, was categorised A++ or the most wanted militant.

A Border Security Force (BSF) officer was killed in Kashmir last week as forces foiled a militant attempt to storm a paramilitary base close to the high-security Srinagar airport, sparking an hours-long gun-battle that left all three radicals dead.

Khan admitted that “six to seven” militants of a group which infiltrated between July and August were still at large and were potential threats.

Police said the three slain militants were from the JeM’s ‘Afzal Guru squad’, raised by the outfit to avenge the hanging of the 2001 Parliament attack convict.

On August 26, at least eight security personnel were killed in a similar attack by the JeM in Pulwama.