M A I N   N E W S

23 ultras killed in J&K
6 Pak soldiers killed

SRINAGAR, Sept 18 (PTI) — Twenty three militants were among 28 persons killed in Jammu and Kashmir even as militants stepped up attacks on security personnel in the valley, official sources said today.

Twelve Pakistani mercenaries were killed in a fierce encounter with troops in Mangana forests of Poonch sector near the Line of Control today, an Army spokesman said.

Pakistani troops supported the militants with heavy shelling from across the border, in which two civilians were injured. The encounter was on till last reports came in, the spokesman said.

This is the second major encounter in the village in the last three days. Earlier there was day-long encounter on September 16.

Four mercenaries — three of Lashker-e-Toiba and one Afghan national — were killed in an exchange of fire when security personnel, on tip off, raided Makwal village in Jammu last night. Huge quantities of arms and ammunition were seized from the encounter sites.

Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an encounter in Surankote in Poonch district.

Militants threw a grenade on a moving CRPF vehicle killing two security personnel and injuring three others near Dalgate, in the heart of Srinagar, an official spokesman said.

Eight BSF personnel and a civilian received splinter injuries when militants exploded an improvised explosive device (IED) and six grenades on their pickets at Idgah and near Naaz crossing here, he said.

Two Army personnel were injured when a powerful landmine planted by militants went off at Sangrama on Srinagar-Sopore road and two others were wounded in an IED explosion in Baramula.

Three militants were killed in encounters with security personnel in Mahore in Udhampur, Baderwah in Doda and Surankote in Poonch district during the period.

An unidentified militant was killed in a gunbattle while militants killed a surrendered militant and a counter-insurgent in other areas of Anantnag district.

A civilian was killed and a policeman injured in an exchange of fire with militants who exploded and IED and opened fire on the security personnel at Pattan in Baramula district.

Militants shot dead a woman in her house in Moori-Kalardoos in Kupwara district during the period.

Army busted a militant hideout in Harni forest in Rajouri and unearthed a huge cache of arms, including 12 IEDs, 40 detonators, 238 rounds of AK ammunition, 11 rifle grenades and seven AK magazines among others.