Srinagar, April 28
Twentyfive militants, mostly foreign mercenaries, and a civilian were killed and 10 persons, including eight securitymen, wounded as fierce encounters rocked various parts of Jammu and Kashmir since past night, a police spokesman said today.

Security forces gunned down 15 militants in different encounters in border districts of Poonch, where two infiltration bids were foiled, the spokesman said.

On specific information about the presence of a group of heavily armed foreign mercenaries, who had infiltrated into the state from the Line of Control (LoC), troops cordoned off the entire Dara-Glotra Dar area in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch around 4 am today.

In the encounter lasting for over four hours, six foreign mercenaries belonging to the Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen were killed. Four AK rifles, a pistol, one sniper rifle and large quantity of ammunition and explosive material were seized from them, the spokesman said.

He said security forces shot dead six militants in another encounter at Sathra in Poonch yesterday. Three securitymen were also injured in the gunfight, which also led to the recovery of six AK assault rifles, two wireless sets, a pistol and a large quantity of ammunition.

In two other encounters at Badacher-Loran and Danamora in the Surankote areas of Poonch, the spokesman said, troops killed three militants, including a foreign mercenary belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, and foiled an attempt by militants to sneak into the state.

The spokesman said security forces foiled another infiltration bid by killing two intruders at Dalseri in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district early today.

Three militants hiding at Bahrote village in the Thanamandi area of Rajouri were killed after an encounter with security forces today.

The spokesman said three militants, including two foreigners, were killed in two separate encounters with security forces at Nowshera-Sirigufwara and Matalhama-Kulgam in Anantnag district during overnight operations.

A civilian of Nowshera village was also killed and five securitymen injured in the encounters, the spokesman added.

Two more foreign mercenaries, including a self-styled battalion commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit, were killed in two other encounters at Redu-Dardpora and Patshahi-Lolab in frontier district of Kupwara early today, he said.

JAMMU: While three Hindu Bakerwals (gaddis) were kidnapped from the forest range in Tathri in Doda district, the security forces eliminated 14 hardcore militants in Poonch and Rajouri districts during the last 12 hours.