Forces kill 3 militants days after their video surfaced

Days after their video surfaced, three local militants of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, police and army said today.
The militants were killed in the encounter at Awoora village in Pahalgam area of the district, an army official said.
Acting on specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in the village, security forces yesterday launched a search operation in the area.
As the forces were conducting the search operation, the hiding militants fired upon them, he said, adding the security forces retaliated, ensuing an encounter.
The exchange of fire went on till late in the evening after which it was halted for the night, the official said, adding it was resumed in the wee hours today and the three militants were killed in the gunfight.

Belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit, the militants were all locals and were identified as Abid Sheikh, Maqsood Shah alias Masoom and Adil Reshi. All of them hailed from Anantnag district.

The slain militants were seen in a video which recently surfaced on social media showing them enjoying the snowfall in the Valley, Superintendent of Police, Anantnag, Zubair Ahmad told PTI.
"The three militants were part of the six militants in that video where they were playing in snow," he said.
The video showed the militants enjoying snowfall and brandishing AK 47 assault rifles while treading a snow-clad hillock after heavy snowfall on January 6.

The bodies have been handed over to their families after completing all legal formalities, a police official said.