(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The Hizb divisional commander, identified by the authorities as Abdul Rasheed, alias Qari Zubair, was said to have been active for the past 10 years and was on the highly wanted list of the police, sources quoted police as saying.
The other two slain militants have been named as Nisar Ahmad, alias Mansoor, and Mushtaq Ahmad, with the police saying that the trio had repeatedly escaped being captured during the past six months.
The gun battle took place in the forest belt of Ramban which the police and Indian troops had cordoned off for searches this morning after a tip-off about militants being present in some residential houses.
A top police officer of the area said that the militants had been asked to surrender before the operation, but they declined opening heavy fire to break through the army cordon.
The police said that civilians in the vicinity had been evacuated to safety before the troops began their action, and that the ensuing exchange of gunfire had been prolonged and heavy.
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