Srinagar: The year 2020 has been deadly in Kashmir as it witnessed the killing of 180 militants in ninety gunfights, the majority of whom were witnessed in Southern districts of Kashmir, official figures revealed on Monday.
The data accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) suggested that the Jammu region of the erstwhile state witnessed ten gunfights in which seventeen militants were killed while three forces personnel also lost their lives.
“In total, the year 2020 witnessed the killing of 205 persons that includes 178 militants including top commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen that include Reyaz Naikoo and Dr. Saifullah, besides top Lashkar and Jaish commanders including Faujibhai of JeM, an IED expert,” a security expert, privy to the official figures was quoted as saying by KNO.
Kashmir witnessed eighty gunfights alone, the data reveals and the majority of them took place, in Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag and Pulwama districts of South Kashmir. Figures revealed that seven militants were killed in two gunfights at Nagrota area of Jammu.
Ganderbal district of Kashmir has witnessed no gunfights this year, officials said even as a few attacks were carried out by militants including the one at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader’s house where a Personal Security Officer (PSO) lost his life.
Interestingly, Srinagar, the summer capital, witnessed seven gunfights including the one at Batamaloo where a woman also got killed, another one at Lawaypora, Zoonimar, Malabagh, and Pantha chowk. “In a gunfight at Nawakadal, forces killed Junaid Sehrai, the Hizb commander while in another gunfight at Rangreth area, Hizb chief Dr. Saifullah was killed,” the official said.
Officials told KNO that in 2020, nine militants were captured alive this year at the gunfight sites while more than 700 youth, who were about to join militancy were counseled and reunited with their families. (KNO)
