Five top Hizbul militants shot
JAMMU, Dec 9 — Five militants were killed today by the Army in Alal village, 4 km from Thanamandi in Rajouri district. According to defence sources, the Army carried out a major operation against a militant hideout in the village. The militants opened fire when the troops laid the cordon. The soldiers retaliated killing five militants on the spot. Three assault rifles and a large quantity of ammunition and explosives were recovered.

Volte face by Jamaat chief
JAMMU, Dec 9 — Political tussle between the "hawks" and "doves" in the Jamait-e-Islami in Kashmir over the future line of action has been resolved amicably with the moderates, led by the party chief, Mr G.M. Butt, abandoning the plan of staging a "coup" against the hardliners headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Five top Hizbul militants shot
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 9 — Five militants were killed today by the Army in Alal village, 4 km from Thanamandi in Rajouri district.

According to defence sources, the Army carried out a major operation against a militant hideout in the village. The militants opened fire when the troops laid the cordon. The soldiers retaliated killing five militants on the spot. Three assault rifles and a large quantity of ammunition and explosives were recovered.

The slain militants are said to be activists of the Hizbul-Mujahideen. With the killing of five militants in the operation, which is still on, the troops have eliminated 12 top militants in the past 24 hours in Rajouri district. On Monday night seven hardcore rebels were killed in an Army operation in Chambi Tarai village.

The Defence Ministry sources said large groups of border villagers supported the Army in operations at Alal and Chambi Tarai villages because the militants had committed atrocities on the civilians in the last several months. The militants, some of them foreign mercenaries, had indulged in extortion and were forcing teenagers to join militancy.

In the neighbouring Surankot area of Poonch militants exploded an explosive device near a shop. Ajit Kumar, owner of the shop was injured. The security forces arrested Jalaluddin in Poonch and recovered one hand grenade and some ammunition. In the Gandhov area of Doda district men of the special operation group of the police stopped a group of "baratis" and forced them to dance on the Bakri village road last night. A jawan of the force opened fire in which one person Basant Singh, was killed and Jaga Singh was injured.

Militants barged into the house of Abdul and shot him dead.

Volte face by Jamaat chief
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 9 — Political tussle between the "hawks" and "doves" in the Jamait-e-Islami in Kashmir over the future line of action has been resolved amicably with the moderates, led by the party chief, Mr G.M. Butt, abandoning the plan of staging a "coup" against the hardliners headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

The rift between the two sides surfaced when the Jamait-e-Islami Amir Mr G.M. Butt announced in Srinagar that his organisation had no links with pro-Pak militant outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and denied earlier reports that the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen was the military wing of the Jamaat. Mr Butt had also announced that his organisation would not associate itself with any violence as it believed in "peace" and resolving disputes through a dialogue.

Mr Butt’s announcement which amounted to a major shift in Jamaat’s policy was the result of two factors. He wanted to buy peace with the government because he did not like seeing several activists of the Jamaat being killed either by the security forces or by the renegade militants. The security forces had renewed their operations against Jamaat activists and many had been harassed and arrested. Secondly, the eight-year-long militancy related violence had prevented the Jamaat to carry out membership enrolment. Jamaat leaders were unable to hold their meetings and organise religious training courses. The Jamaat had lost several thousand activists in the turmoil.

He had also hinted that those Jamaat leaders who did not tow the party line would be thrown out. This was a clear indication for Mr Geelani to either follow the line or quit. Though Jamaat is an important constituent of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), a conglomerate of over 30 religious, political and trade organisations, its leaders discussed the new policy decision announced by Mr Butt twice. In fact some senior Hurriyat leaders had asked for Mr Geelani’s reaching against Mr Butt’s statement.

There was a little confusion in the APHC and the task of giving a call for two-day Kashmir bandh in protest against the demolition of Babri Masjid and against the visit of Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, had to be given by the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and not by the APHC which had been performing this task thereby earning the name of "hartal" conference.

These developments are said to have unnerved and annoyed agencies across the border. Informed sources said these agencies conveyed their displeasure to the moderates in the Jamaat and they were directed to sort out the differences as Mr Butt’s statement had the potential of demoralising those forces that were engaged in an armed struggle with the security forces.

These sources said all senior leaders discussed the issue during a series of meetings in Srinagar recently. It was agreed the Jamaat would support all programmes of the Hurriyat.

Observers are of the view that the truce between the moderates and the hardliners may be a "temporary affair" because Jamaat chief and several party leaders are for strengthening the organisation which had in the past eight years of insurgency, lost its political weight. But for the time being the hawks have won the battle and Mr Geelani may reassert his authority within the Jamaat and as Chairman of the APHC.