Two militants were killed and five Army men sustained injuries in a gunfight on the city outskirts today. A US-made M4 carbine used by the Pakistan army was recovered from the encounter site.
This is the second such weapon seized in the Valley in the past five months.
On October 31, security forces had recovered an M4 carbine from an encounter site in south Kashmir’s Tral sub-district after three militants, including Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar’s nephew Usman Haider, were killed.
“An M4 carbine was recovered from the encounter site today which is similar to the one recovered from Haider,” a security official said.
The weapon is used by NATO forces as well as by the Special Forces of the Pakistan army.
“The recovery of the US made M4 carbine clearly shows the collusion between the Pakistan forces and terrorists,” he added.
Security officials fear that more such weapons may have been brought in by infiltrating militants in the past two years.
In November 2017, an M4 carbine colt rifle was recovered during a gunfight in Pulwama.
The early morning gunfight erupted at Agarsuthsoo Kalan on city outskirts when joint teams of forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area bordering Budgam district.
“As the search was on, militants opened fire triggering a gunfight. During the encounter, two militants were killed,” said DIG (Central Kashmir) Vidhi Kumar Birdi.
“It is understood that both terrorists, identified as Ali and Idrees, are Pakistan nationals,” a police spokesman said. The two are affiliated with JeM.
Defence sources said five soldiers of 50 Rashtriya Rifles were injured in the gunfight and were shifted to Army’s Srinagar-based 92 hospital.
In the past 24 hours, six militants have been killed and a militant arrested in Kashmir.