J&K: Separatists call for two-day strike across valley to protest killings

The two-day strike begins on Sunday

Separatists on Sunday called for a two-day strike in Kashmir over the killings of 11 militants and two civilians in three separate encounters in the valley.

Separatists, under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), called for a two-day strike from Sunday across Kashmir to protest the killings, a spokesman of the JRL said.

He said the JRL, comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Mailk, asked people to suspend business and other activities and offer funeral prayers in absentia across the valley.

Houses caught fire during a gun battle between security forces and militants in Shopian | Photo: PTI

Meanwhile, authorities have put the Mirwaiz under house arrest at his Nigeen residence here.

Eleven militants have been killed in three separate encounters in south Kashmir on Sunday. Two civilians and three Army jawans also lost their lives in these operations.