Chief operational ‘commander’ of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Saifullah alias Saif-ul Islam Mir alias Dr Saif alias Ghazi Haider was killed in a gun battle on the outskirts of Srinagar in Srinagar District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in India on November 1, reports Daily Excelsior. The HM ‘commander’, resident of Malangpora in Rangreth area of Srinagar, was given opportunity to surrender. However, he fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter in which he was killed. Director General of Police (DGP), Dilbag Singh, said, Saifullah was a top and longest surviving militant ‘commander’ in the Valley and he was involved in the killing of several innocent people, and further stated, “Dr Saifullah was also involved in the killing of various innocent people including three policemen, two truck drivers who were attacked after the abrogation of Article 370 in which a truck driver and a conductor were killed. He was also involved in the recent attack on a Sarpanch, who got injured in Kulgam district.”
A militant was arrested during an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) on the outskirts of Srinagar city in Rangreth near the old airfield in Srinagar District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in India on November 1, reports Daily Excelsior. Acting on specific information about the presence of militants in Rangreth near the old airfield here, the SFs launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in the area, a Police official said. A militant was arrested from the spot after an exchange of fire. The identity of the arrested militant is yet to be ascertained.