Jammu & Kashmir: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2004

An unidentified terrorist was killed and seven civilians sustained injuries when the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) he was carrying on his bicycle exploded accidentally in the Rainawari area of capital Srinagar on January 1. Unconfirmed reports have indicated that he was planning to target the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's peace rally at the Sher-e-Kashmir Park in Civil Lines area of Srinagar. Read less...

Further, security forces foiled an infiltration attempt on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Mendhar sector of Poonch district by killing two foreign mercenaries. However, at least two others are reported to have escaped from the incident site. Two AK-47 rifles, two pouches and 10 AK magazines were recovered from the slain terrorists’ possession. This was the second visible infiltration attempt foiled in the Poonch sector after a cease-fire came into force on the LoC on November 26, 2003. In the first abortive bid on December 21, 2003, six infiltrators were shot dead by the Army in the Balakote area of Mendhar. Read less...

Meanwhile, one security force (SF) personnel was killed and another sustained injuries when a patrol party of 51 Rashtriya Rifles was ambushed by a group of terrorists at Bana village in the Mahore area of Udhampur district. Even as the troops retaliated, the terrorists managed to escape. Read less...

One more soldier was killed and another injured in a separate ambush laid by the terrorists at village Chamrerh in the Surankote area of Poonch district. Read less...

Separately, while seeking a consensus within Jammu and Kashmir to carry forward the peace process, Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed appealed to the ‘gun totting youth’ and their leaders across the border to give the peace process a chance. Addressing a peace rally in the capital Srinagar, the Chief Minister said that people of India and Pakistan have not only realized the significance of peace but also developed a stake in it. He said, "I take this opportunity to appeal the leaders (militant groups) to allow dialogue and peace process to continue and taken to logical end." Read less...

A day ahead of the Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s visit to Pakistan to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, two Fidayeen (suicide squad) terrorists attacked the Jammu Railway Station on January 2 killing four security force (SF) personnel and injuring nine others and six civilians. Both the terrorists were subsequently killed by the SF personnel. Hundreds of passengers, mostly pilgrims of the Mata Vaishnodevi shrine, were reportedly at the station when the attack occurred. Two AK rifles, six magazines, seven live grenades and two towels were recovered from the slain terrorists. No terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack thus far. Read less...

Further, a civilian who had sustained injuries in the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast at Rainawari in the capital Srinagar on January 1 died at a local hospital on January 2. Read less...

Meanwhile, eight civilians were injured as an unidentified terrorist lobbed a hand grenade targeting an army convoy at Bijbehara on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Read less...

Reports from south Kashmir have indicated that security forces defused an IED planted on the Awantipore-Tral road before two Cabinet Ministers - Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Qazi Mohammad Afzal - were scheduled to visit the Tral area. Read less...

In another attack, terrorists hurled a grenade towards a Border Security Force (BSF) camp at Nouhama village in the Anantnag district on the same day. However, the grenade fell short of the intended target and exploded near the main entrance to the camp without causing any harm. Read less...

Meanwhile, security forces destroyed a terrorist hideout at Jalsheeri in the Baramulla district and recovered 16 grenades, two rockets, a binocular, three AK magazines and 70 rounds of ammunition. Read less...

One civilian was injured when unidentified terrorists lobbed a grenade on a security camp at Batpora village in the Shopian area of Pulwama district on January 3. Read less...

Separately, one Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel who was wounded in a grenade attack by terrorists at Kakpora village in the Pulwama district a week ago succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Pulwama on January 3. Read less...

According to official sources, security force personnel shot dead two terrorists of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) during an encounter in the Mahore area of Udhampur district on January 4. Two AK rifles with some ammunition were recovered from their possession. Read less...

Elsewhere in the State, security forces destroyed two terrorist hideouts at Kalakote in the Rajouri district and Surankote in Poonch and recovered one 303 rifle, 39 rounds of ammunition, a magazine, four AK rounds, one detonator and one time device. Read less...

Meanwhile, a HM cadre was arrested during a search operation in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district on January 4. A radio set, two hand grenades, three kilograms of gun powder, 10 meter fuse wire, one kg phosphorous and one electric circuit was recovered from his possession. Read less...

Separately, an over ground worker of the terrorists, identified as Mohammed Sain, was arrested from the Mendhar area of Poonch district. Read less...

Further, a Special Police Officer (SPO) was injured during an encounter with a group of terrorists at village Dokhared in the Gool area of Udhampur district. The terrorists, however, managed to escape from the incident site. Read less...

Meanwhile, security forces have reportedly killed two terrorists affiliated to the Harkat-ul-Jehadi-e-Islami (HuJI) outfit during an encounter at village Balna in the Keshwan area of Doda district. One AK-47 rifle, one AK-56 rifle, four AK magazines, 38 AK rounds, one wireless set and two hand grenades were recovered from their possession. Read less...

Separately, two Army personnel were injured when unidentified terrorists attacked a patrol party at village Ari in the Mendhar area of Poonch district. Read less...

Two terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit, suspected to be foreign mercenaries, were reportedly shot dead by cadres of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) in the Thannamandi area of Rajouri district on January 5. According to the Daily Excelsior, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Rajouri-Poonch range) S M Sahai has attributed the killings to inter-group rivalry among the terrorists. Read less...

According to official sources, a civilian was killed when he was caught in the exchange of firing between unidentified terrorists and security force personnel in the Shopian area of Pulwama district on January 6. Read less...

Further, police personnel on January 6 foiled a plot by the terrorists to blast the Sher-i-Kashmir Bridge near Poonch town by defusing two live bombs planted under the bridge. Read less...

In another incident, security forces destroyed a terrorist hideout at Dara Sangla in the Surankote area of Poonch district. Read less...

Meanwhile, security forces are reported to have shot dead two suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists during an encounter at Zethan in the Baramulla district. Two AK-56 rifles were recovered from the incident site. Read less...

Separately, at Rawalpora village in the Shopian area, terrorists shot at and injured a civilian on the same day. Read less...

Another LeT terrorist was killed in an encounter at Sabzi in Poonch district. Read less...

Further, reports from south Kashmir indicated that a terrorist affiliated to the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) was killed during an encounter at Batgund in the Dooru area of Anantnag district. Read less...

In another encounter on the same day, security force personnel killed an unidentified terrorist near the Line of Control (LoC) at village Kasblari in the Poonch district. One soldier sustained injuries during this incident. An AK rifle with two magazines, one wireless set and a pouch were reportedly recovered from the slain terrorist’s possession. Read less...

Security forces are reported to have shot dead four terrorists affiliated to the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment (HMPPR) during an encounter in the Khari forest area at Banihal in the Doda district on January 7. Three AK rifles, a pistol, one wireless set, eight AK magazines, eight grenades and a dairy were recovered from the incident site. Read less...

Separately, during another encounter at Achhabal in Anantnag, while the terrorists managed to escape, one civilian is reported to have sustained injuries. Read less...

Another over ground worker was arrested from Thannamandi in the Rajouri district. Read less...

During another operation in the Bandipore forest area of Baramulla district, security force personnel killed one unidentified terrorist while two of his associates managed to escape in an injured condition. Another terrorist was killed and two soldiers sustained injuries during an encounter at Bashipora in the Baramulla district. The operation was continuing till last reports came in. Read less...

Elsewhere in the State, security forces recovered and neutralized an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), weighing 20 kilograms, from village Lopai. Read less...

Further, a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist, identified as Ashiq Hussain, shot dead two sympathisers of the Hizb at village Tanta in the Gandoh area of Doda. According to sources, the slain duo of father-son was linked to HM terrorist Mohammed Ramzan of Tanta. Read less...

In a separate encounter, a ‘district commander’ of the Hizb, identified as Ghulam Mohammed Wani alias Gullah, was shot dead by the Army at Breswana in the Doda district. Sources said that he was active in the Doda town, Koti, Bharat, Breswana, Prem Nagar and Kuntwara areas for the last 10 years. Read less...

In another incident, unidentified terrorists shot dead the elder brother of a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Qamar Rabbani in the Fatehpur area of Rajouri district. Read less...

Meanwhile, three Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorists were killed during an encounter in the Kastigarh area of Doda district. Two AK rifles, four AK magazines, two Chinese hand grenades, 15 kg RDX and two pouches were recovered from the incident site. Read less...

Reports from north Kashmir have indicated that two terrorists affiliated to the Al Badr outfit were killed during an encounter at Gund Chabootra in the Handwara area of Kupwara district. Read less...

Security forces also arrested five over ground workers of the terrorists from Batote in the Doda district. Read less...

Two Government officials were killed and 19 people sustained injuries when an unidentified terrorist lobbed two grenades at a mosque in the Pir Mitha area of Jammu within minutes after the Friday prayers commenced on January 9. According to the Daily Excelsior, Minister of State for Power Javed Mir Mustafa and the Imam of the Mosque Abdul Rehman had a narrow escape in the blasts. Even as the Personal Security Officers of the Minister opened fire in the direction from where the grenades had been lobbed, the terrorist managed to escape. The Imam later said that at least 150 people were offering prayers at the mosque during the grenade attack. Read less...

Two terrorists of the Al-Fatah Force are reported to have surrendered before the security forces at Athwatoo in Bandipora. Read less...

In another incident on the same day, a group of terrorists intruded into the house of a civilian at Chhanapora village in Rajpora area and hurled a hand grenade on the inmates. A civilian was killed and another sustained injuries when the grenade exploded. Read less...

Meanwhile in a cordon-and-search operation launched by troops of Rashtriya Rifles 3 Bn at Tulkhun near the highway township of Bijbehara, security forces (SFs) killed two unidentified terrorists. Read less...

On January 10, a group of unidentified terrorists killed a civilian, Farooq Ahmed Mirza and his wife at Lurgam, about eight kilometers from Tral. Read less...

Also, four children, who were grazing cattle in a field near a security forces picket at Nangla Wali in Shahdara Sharief under the jurisdiction of Thanna Mandi police station, came under a grenade attack and subsequent firing from an unidentified location on January 11. All four children sustained injuries in the grenade blast and firing. Read less...

In a similar incident, the Border Security Force (BSF) on January 11 raided a hideout belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and recovered an unspecified quantity of explosive devices and ammunition in the Keri sector. Recoveries made from the hideout included 30 hand grenades, 47 grenades and 400 rounds of Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), 45 electronic detonators, three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), three kg local made explosives, one anti tank mine, three kg plastic sticks, one Chinese pistol with two magazines and five rounds, two battery devices and one meter cortex wire. Read less...

In another encounter at Dhouni Bharat in Doda district, a terrorist of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was killed. Read less...

Meanwhile, two Al-Badr terrorists were killed in an encounter with SFs at Tulkhan village in Anantnag on January 11 night. Two AK assault rifles, two grenades and two wireless sets were reportedly recovered from them. Read less...

On the same day, security personnel apprehended an Al-Badr terrorist along with an AK rifle and two grenades from Dangiwacha area of Baramulla. Read less...

Reports from north Kashmir said that SFs have eliminated two more terrorists in the gunbattle that had begun at Bakhipora in the Handwara area on January 9. Two terrorists had earlier been killed by SFs in this gunbattle on January 9 and 10, while two SFs had sustained injuries. Read less...

Separately, security forces killed an unidentified terrorist during search operations in Baramulla on January 11 and recovered three AK assault rifles, 80 kgs of RDX explosives and 11 grenades. Read less...

SFs have recovered 20 anti-tank grenades, 13 rockets, one Improvised Explosive Device (IED) booster, two wireless sets and six IEDs in a search operation at Hathlangoo in the Sopore area. Read less...

Troops of the Rashtriya Rifles also recovered one UBGL, four UBGL grenades, four hand grenades, seven remote control devices and nine timers during a separate raid at village Morha Potha in Rajdhani area of Thanna Mandi on January 11. Read less...

On January 12, unidentified terrorists ambushed a security forces (SFs) patrol party, headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), killing a SF personnel and a woman and injuring 14 others in Anantnag. The terrorists opened firing on the patrol party at Mattan Chowk in Anantnag, killing the DySP’s Personal Security Officer (PSO) and injuring 14 others— ten SF personnel, including three officers, and four civilians. Read less...

Reports from Kupwara district said that unidentified terrorists entered into the house of a security personnel at Dardpora Lolab on January 12 and shot him dead. Read less...

Further, security forces in a raid on a terrorist hideout in village Nambla in Keri sector of Rajouri district recovered 13 RPGs, two UBGLs, three IEDs, 160 AK rounds, three bags and some Pakistan-make medicines Read less...

In another encounter at village Gagra in Gool area of Udhampur district on January 13, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorist was killed by SFs. A security personnel was reportedly killed by the slain Hizb terrorist prior to the encounter. Read less...

Meanwhile, on January 13, during a cordon and search operation launched by the Awantipore Police and a unit of the Border Security Force (BSF) at Bugmar in Batnoor area of Tral district, two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists were killed. Two AK-56 rifles and two hand grenades were recovered from the site of the encounter. Read less...

On January 13, security forces (SFs) in a two hour long gunbattle killed a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) ‘operational commander’, Javed Ahmed alias Abu Katil Manji Dhara, under the jurisdiction of Manjakote police station in the Rajouri district. A civilian, who was a resident of Gurdanbala, was also killed in the exchange of firing. One AK rifle with two magazines, four diaries and Rupees 15 in Pakistan currency were recovered from the slain terrorist. Police sources added that another LeT terrorist, however, managed to escape during the encounter. Read less...

On January 13, the Union Government formally invited the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) led by Maulana Abbas Ansari for talks with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on January 22 to which the outfit has reportedly responded positively. The decision by the Union Government to invite the Hurriyat said that "pursuant to the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Security on October 22, the Deputy Prime Minister would like to meet you on January 22." In Srinagar, accepting the invitation, Ansari said that Hurriyat would discuss the issue at all levels—executive, working committee and general council—to firm up the strategy and the composition of its delegation for talks with Advani. In a bid for a broader consensus on the talks, he said "we are also going to discuss with all pro-freedom parties outside the Hurriyat Conference." Read less...

Separately, in Srinagar, SFs defused an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) allegedly planted by terrorists on a bicycle at Mehjoor Nagar. Read less...

Meanwhile, Maulana Abbas Ansari said that he was making a last attempt at uniting various factions before entering into the dialogue process and even expressed willingness to amend the Hurriyat Constitution to curtail his tenure. He added that a written invitation, to attend the talks, through a Hurriyat delegation has been sent to Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik, the People’s League headed by Sheikh Abdul Aziz and to the Jamaat-e-Islami chief, Syed Nazir Ahmad Kashani. Read less...

On January 14, the proscribed terrorist outfit, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen (JuM), reportedly threatened to kill All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chairman Moulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari and other leaders of his faction, a day after the latter received an invitation from the Union Government for talks. "Ansari and his colleagues are hereby warned not to kneel at the doorsteps of Delhi or else they will face dire consequences," the outfit’s ‘field commander general’ Mohammad Umer said. "Ansari and his colleagues will be done to death one by one," he added. Security has been beefed up around Hurriyat leaders, including Ansari, after a review of their threat perception following the invitation for talks, police sources said. Read less...

Another terrorist hideout was destroyed by the Border Security Force (BSF) at Maal in the Rajouri district. One ICom set, one detonator, 30 AK rounds, one magazine, three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), six grenades and two detonators were recovered from the hideout. Read less...

In another incident on January 15, security forces killed a HM terrorist, Riyaz Ahmed Malik in an encounter at Hapatnar in the Anantnag district. Read less...

In another incident, a group of unidentified terrorists killed a SF personnel at Tral and escaped with the latter’s AK-56 rifle. Read less...

Meanwhile, a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist surrendered on January 15 before the SFs at Mahore in the Udhampur district alongwith arms and ammunition. Another terrorist reportedly surrendered before security officials in the same district and handed over one AK rifle, four AK magazines, 151 rounds of ammunition, two grenades, one radio set, one pouch and one diary. Read less...

Meanwhile, in Srinagar, security personnel claimed to have seized two Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), weighing 20 Kilograms, from an under-construction building at Tibetan Colony. An official spokesman claimed that the same was to be planted by terrorists somewhere around Bakhshi Stadium to sabotage the Republic Day ceremony of January 26. Read less...

On January 15, security forces recovered 30 litres of kerosene oil, 11 UBGL grenades, one box of IED’s remote control and four RPG rounds from a terrorist hideout in the hilly area of Hari Kheeth in the Poonch district. Read less...

On January 15, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (AHPC) faction led by Moulvi Abbas Ansari constituted a five-member team for participation in a dialogue on Jammu and Kashmir with the Union Government, beginning on January 22. This decision was taken in a joint meeting of the Hurriyat executive council and the General Council in Srinagar. The Hurriyat team which will begin the process of talks comprises chairman, Moulvi Abbas Ansari, President of Awami Action Committee, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, representative of J&K Peoples Conference in the Hurriyat executive council, Bilal Gani Lone, the former Hurriyat chairman Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat and J&K Peoples Political Front chairman, Fazal Haque Qureshi. Read less...

On January 15, the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) ‘commander’ of Doda, Abbas Malik alias Abbas Rahi, was killed by security forces (SFs) in an encounter at Tengpora, in the outskirts of the capital city, Srinagar. One AK-56 rifle, a mobile phone instrument and Indian currency worth Rupees Twelve Hundred Thousand was recovered from the slain terrorist. Six hours after the Hizb terrorist was killed, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted in a car exploded at Tengpora on the same highway. A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicle suffered damages and a SF personnel travelling in it sustained injuries. Read less...

Reports from north Kashmir stated that unidentified terrorists kidnapped a civilian from his house at Brar in the Bandipore district, on January 13 and shot him dead on January 14. Security forces recovered the dead body of another civilian from Wuyan area in the same district on January 15. The slain civilian was an accountant at the Zonal Education Office in Bandipore and had been kidnapped by terrorists in the month of November 2003. Read less...

Separately, an Al-Badr terrorist was killed by SFs in an encounter at Gopalpora in the Anantnag district, on January 15. Read less...

SFs have reportedly seized 15 Kilograms of RDX from a Baramulla-bound bus, at Bemina Crossing in Srinagar. Read less...

A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorist, Shakeel Ahmed, was shot dead by security forces after an exchange of gun-battle at Neel in Banihal on January 16. One AK rifle and two magazines were recovered from him. Read less...

Meanwhile, a civilian was killed in an exchange of firing between the SFs and a group of terrorists at Hari Garanga in the Poonch district on January 16. Read less...

On January 16, the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen’s (HM) "chief commander of operations", Ghulam Rasool Dar alias Riyaz Rasool alias Ghazi Nasiruddin, alongwith another Hizb terrorist, Fayaz Ahmed Dar, was killed by security forces (SFs) in an encounter at Shalteng in the outskirts of the capital city, Srinagar. Ghulam Rasool Dar had reportedly returned from Pakistan in November 2003 and in the Hizb hierarchy he was second to the "supreme commander" Syed Salahuddin. Speaking to the press, after the encounter, the Commander of Rashtriya Rifles Sector 10, Brigadier A K Choudhary said that security personnel had received a specific information regarding Rasool’s presence, in Umarabad Colony on Srinagar-Baramulla highway and zeroed in on the residential house of a businessman, Farooq Ahmed Kanni. The two terrorists hiding inside the house opened fire which confirmed their presence and in the 4-hour-long gunbattle, troops killed both of them. Brigadier Choudhary added that after former Hizb ‘chief commander’ Saif-ul-Islam’s killing in an encounter on April 2, 2003, Ghulam Rasool Dar had taken over as "chief commander of operations". Choudhary described Fayaz Ahmed Dar as the outfit’s "publicity and financial chief". Read less...

In another incident, security forces shot dead a LeT ‘district commander’, Mohd Rafiq, and his associate in an encounter along Harkoot nullah near Ladnihal in the Banihal district, on January 17. One AK rifle, two magazines, 30 rounds, two hand grenades and one wireless set were recovered from the slain terrorists. Read less...

On January 17, six Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists and three security personnel were killed in a gunbattle in the Vevan forest area of Bandipore. The clash occurred during a cordon and search operation launched by security forces (SFs) and lasted for almost eight hours. Three soldiers sustained critical injuries and later all of them died. Six AK-56 rifles, two wireless sets, a number of hand grenades and an unspecified quantity of assorted ammunition have been recovered from the site of encounter. Read less...

On January 18, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) said that it wanted to hold talks with the militant leadership in Pakistan on Kashmir issue after parleys with the Indian Government and threatened to pull out of the dialogue process if the Government refuses permission to its leaders to travel to the neighbouring country. "We are going to go ahead with the talks with Government (in New Delhi on January 22). In the second phase, we would like to travel to Pakistan to take the Kashmiri and militant leadership across the Line of Control into confidence," Hurriyat chief Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari said. If the Centre refuses to allow the Hurriyat delegation to go to Pakistan, it would return to the Kashmir valley and pull out of the talks process, he added. Read less...

Separately, a civilian of village Hari Safeda in the Poonch district was reportedly abducted by two terrorists from his house on January 18 and later shot him dead. Read less...

Also, security forces reportedly destroyed three terrorist hideouts— two at Marhot and one at Daranga Wali in the Poonch district. Recoveries made from the hideout included packets of RDX, three UBGL grenades, 20 litres of cooking oil, three hand grenades and ration stocks. Read less...

Another civilian of Sheikhpora Tanta in the Doda district was killed in an exchange of firing between the SFs and unidentified terrorists on January 19. Read less...

In another encounter that took place between a group of HM cadres and SFs at village Targain in Budhal area of Rajouri district, three HM terrorists were killed. Three AK rifles, one pistol and one wireless set were recovered from them. Read less...

Meanwhile, in an incident of inter-outfit rivalry, terrorists of the Harkat-ul-Jehad-i-Islami (HUJI), on January 19, shot dead a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) cadre at Keshwan in the Doda district. Read less...

On January 19, two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists were killed by security forces (SFs) in an encounter at village Kalla of Mahore tehsil in the Udhampur district. Two AK rifles, eight magazines, four hand grenades, one wireless set, 18 detonators, Rupees 4650 in Indian currency and seven Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were recovered from the slain terrorists. Read less...

Reports from south Kashmir said that security personnel killed an unidentified terrorist in an encounter at Band Pawa in the Shopian area, on January 19. Read less...

Separately, a group of unidentified terrorists attacked a SF patrol party in Lolab valley of Kupwara district killing a security personnel and injuring another. Even as SFs retaliated, the terrorists managed to escape. Read less...

A Special Police Officer (SPO) was killed and four others including three SF personnel and a Village Defence Committee (VDC) member were injured when unidentified terrorists set off an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Sangaldan in the Gool area of Udhampur district on January 20. Read less...

In a similar incident, seven civilians were injured when a mine planted by terrorists, exploded in the Bhola Chak in Arnia area of Jammu district. Read less...

Meanwhile, in Srinagar, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), allegedly planted by terrorists, exploded at Bagh-e-Mehtab. No casualties have been reported in the blast. SFs examined the spot and recovered another IED, weighing about 50 kilograms. It was immediately defused by the bomb disposal squad. Read less...

On January 20, security forces killed two terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in an encounter at Magam Sonbrari in Kokernag area of Anantnag district. Residents of the area identified one of the slain terrorists as Abu Veqas and informed the SFs that he was the LeT ‘commander’ in Doda-Anantnag belt. A SF personnel also sustained injuries during the encounter. Read less...

In another incident, SFs killed a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist in an encounter at Bramar Narsar in Achhabal area of Anantnag district. Read less...

Meanwhile, on January 21, a HM terrorist, who was planning to carry out a fidayeen attack at a security forces installation in Poonch town, has been captured by the SFs in an injured condition during an encounter at Balakote in Mendhar sector of Poonch district. Identified as Zafar-ul-Haq alias Hamza, a resident of Haripura in Subha Sarhad (North West Frontier Province) in Pakistan, the Hizb cadre was arrested by the troops after he was hit by a bullet on his jaw and was rendered unconscious for sometime. One AK-56 rifle and ammunition were recovered from him at the time of arrest. Read less...

On January 21, security forces (SFs) killed a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorist in an encounter in the Panar forest area of Bandipore district. A security force personnel also died in the encounter. Read less...

Reports have indicated that alarmed by incidents of rape, abduction and molestation by foreign mercenaries in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)-based United Jehad Council (UJC) has asked terrorists to follow "strict guidelines" while dealing with women. Read less...

Separately, the dead body of a junior employee in the Education Department, who was earlier abducted by terrorists, was recovered by security personnel from Wasoora village in the Pulwama district. Read less...

Meanwhile, the troops of 51 Rashtriya Rifles have destroyed a terrorist hideout at Kala Barmali in the Reasi police district. Recoveries from the hideout included one Pika gun, one Rocket Projectile Gun (RPG), one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), one .303 rifles, 13 grenades and IED material. During the operation, the security personnel also rescued a civilian, who was earlier abducted by the terrorists. Read less...

On January 22, security forces (SFs) shot dead one Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) cadre in an encounter with a group of terrorists at village Tantana in the Doda district and recovered a 20 kilograms Improvised Explosive Device (IED) fitted in a Liquiefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder in Gandoh. Other terrorists reportedly managed to escape during the gun-battle. Recoveries made from the scene of encounter included one pistol, two magazines, 16 rounds, two antennas of radio set, one letter pad of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, seven Chinese grenades and seven kilograms of explosive material. Read less...

On January 22, the leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (AHPC) and the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, met in New Delhi and agreed to find an "honourable and durable solution" to the Kashmir problem through dialogue, hoping that all forms of violence at all levels would end. The much-awaited Centre-Hurriyat meeting, the first at this level, also agreed to adopt a "step-by-step approach that would lead to the resolution of all outstanding issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir." After the two-and-a-half-hour session between Mr. Advani and the Hurriyat delegation, led by its chairman, Maulana Abbas Ansari, and comprising Abdul Ghani Bhat, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Bilal Ghani Lone and Fazal-ul-Haq Qureshi, the two sides expressed satisfaction that a "good beginning" had been made. The next round of talks will be held in March. Later, a joint statement was read out by Mr. Ghani Bhat, which stated that the discussions were "amicable, free, frank and fruitful.'' The joint statement said the delegation was committed to enlarging the dialogue process to cover all regions of Jammu and Kashmir and addressing the concerns of all communities. The Depury Prime Minister, Mr. L.K.Advani said that the Hurriyat leaders raised the issue of detenus languishing in jails and it was agreed to put systems in place for a "rapid review" of cases of prisoners not involved in heinous crimes. Clarifying on the need to enlarge the dialogue process, Mr. Advani said he told the delegation about the plight of Kashmiri Pandits living in pathetic conditions in camps outside the Valley for more than a decade. Mr. Advani was assisted in the talks by the Centre's interlocutor on Jammu and Kashmir, N.N. Vohra, and the Union Home Secretary, N. Gopalaswami. The Hurriyat leaders will reportedly meet the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on January 23, today. Read less...

In a similar incident, unidentified terrorists appeared at R&B Sub Division at Bandipore in the Baramulla district and shot dead Mohammad Maqbool Jan, who was a contractor with past connections with the slain counter-insurgent Kukka Parray’s Awami League. Read less...

In Srinagar, SFs claimed to have seized a large quantity of grenades, detonators, UBGL shells and other explosive matter from Lal Ded Hospital. The hospital is situated in close vicinity of battalion headquarters of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Bakhshi Sports Stadium, which is the venue of the January 26 Republic Day parade. Read less...

Meanwhile, on January 23, a retired Inspector of Jammu & Kashmir Armed Police, Ali Mohammad Bhat, was shot dead by unidentified terrorists at Kawa Chak hamlet in Kreeri area of Baramulla district. Two civilians also sustained injuries in the attack. Read less...

On January 23, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leaders met the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi, and said that their half-an-hour meeting was a "courtesy call'' heralding a new relationship with the Union Government. The five-member Hurriyat team which was led by its chairman, Maulana Abbas Ansari, included the former chairman, Abdul Gani Bhat, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Bilal Ghani Lone and Fazal-ul-Haq Qureshi. "We apprised him of our discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, yesterday and broadly touched upon several aspects relating to Jammu and Kashmir. The Prime Minister gave us a patient hearing and agreed with us that the dialogue process should be taken forward,'' Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said. The Mirwaiz added that the Kashmiri leadership and the people were with their conglomerate and together they would work for resolving Kashmir issue. "Coupled with the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf's recent overtures, we will move forward to see that peace and stability comes back to the State and region.'' Read less...

On January 23, two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) fidayeen (suicide squad) terrorists were killed by security forces (SFs) in an encounter at village Morha Bachai in Surankote tehsil (administrative unit) of Poonch district. The slain terrorists were planning to carry out a fidayeen attack on a vital installation in Surankote town, the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) Rajouri-Poonch range S M Sahai said. The slain fidayeens have been identified as Mohd Sabar alias Abu Harare and Abu Toheed, both residents of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Two AK-56 rifles, six magazines, 40 rounds, four hand grenades, two wireless sets and two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were recovered from the possession of the slain terrorists. The two fidayeens were reportedly part of Abu Hashma group of the LeT. Read less...

Further, security forces apprehended a terrorist, identified as Zahoor Ahmad Dar, at Ranzipora Tral in the Pulwama district, on January 24, and recovered one hand grenade from him. During further search, SFs found 20 kilograms of RDX. Read less...

In a joint operation launched by the State police and security forces at village Duban Nar Kachahama in north Kashmir, on January 24, troops destroyed a terrorist hideout and recovered one 107 mm launcher with five rounds, one RPG with 40 rounds and as many boosters, four AK rifles, 10 remote control devices, five under barrel grenade launchers (UBGL), 50 UBGL rounds, 40 hand grenades, one remote control and 1800 AK rounds. Read less...

In another incident, a group of six heavily armed terrorists launched a major attack on the camp of BSF 138 Battalion at Luryar in Tral area of Pulwama district, on January 24. Troops retaliated and official sources claimed that BSF did not suffer any damage. Read less...

In another operation at Check Boniyar Uri, near the Line of Control (LOC) in the Baramulla district on January 24, security forces destroyed another terrorist hideout and recovered 59 UBGL grenades, three hand grenades, eight Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), two IED battery cases, nine detonators, two pistols with magazines, 12 RPG rounds, 35 RPG boosters, eight electric fuses and over 1400 rounds. Read less...

In Srinagar, security forces claimed to have recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from a deserted shelter-shed behind SKIMS Medical College in Bemina area. According to official sources, the explosives had been concealed in two gunny bags. The seizure included 8 rockets, 5 rocket boosters, one wireless set and 4 UBGLs. Officials believe that the ammunition could have been used to disrupt the Republic Day ceremonies on January 26 Read less...

In the Shopian area again, residents and security personnel recovered the dead body of a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist, namely Bilal Ahmed Sheikh alias Noman. Officials maintained that he had died in a group clash between the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba. Read less...

Meanwhile, security forces rescued seven youths from terrorist captivity in the Udhyanpur area of Doda district. Three terrorists, who had reportedly abducted the youths for arms training in Pakistan, have been arrested. Read less...

Meanwhile, unidentified terrorists appeared at Chhotigam in Shopian area of Pulwama district and shot dead a civilian, Firdaus Ahmed Dar, on January 24. He was reportedly killed with the allegation that he had passed on information to security forces regarding the presence of terrorists in his village. Read less...

On January 24, security personnel killed a terrorist, Bashir Ahmed, in an encounter at Zabban in Banihal tehsil of Doda district. One AK rifle, three magazines, 90 rounds, one hand grenade and one wireless set were recovered from the slain terrorist. Read less...

On January 24, unidentified terrorists shot dead a Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on the National Highway Bypass at Hyderpora in Srinagar. Read less...

Reports from north Kashmir said that a group of unidentified terrorists opened fire on a vehicle of the Special Operations Group (SOG) at Thindam, near Kreeri, in the Baramulla district, injuring a security personnel and a civilian. Read less...

Separately, two unidentified terrorists entered into the house of a 45 year old woman Gulfam Begum, wife of Lal Hussain at village Gounthal in Surankote tehsil (administrative unit) of Poonch district and shot her dead. The terrorists also injured the woman’s son-in-law and escaped. Read less...

In another incident, a group of unidentified terrorists ambushed a convoy of the Border Security Force (BSF) at a spot between Hygam and Poutkhah on the Srinagar-Sopore road on January 25, killing a BSF personnel. Read less...

Meanwhile, a security force personnel, Lance Naik Parbhakar, was killed when unidentified terrorists opened firing on the SFs engaged in the repair of telephone wires. Read less...

On January 25, security force (SF) personnel killed two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists in an encounter at Sangla in Surankote tehsil (administartive unit) of Poonch district. The LeT cadres have been identified as Abu Asidullah and Abdul Kareem. One AK-47 rifle, one pistol, five AK magazines, 40 rounds, one wireless set, one pouch and five hand grenades were recovered from the slain terrorists. Both terrorists were reportedly responsible for the killing of a woman, Gulfam Begum at Gounthal in Surankote on January 23. Read less...

Separately, a civilian, Baldev Singh was kidnapped and later killed by terrorists at Lehnatop in the Rajouri district. Read less...

In a similar incident, a SF personnel was killed on January 26 when a SF patrol party was ambushed by terrorists at Chamradi Gali near Shahdara Sharief in the Rajouri district. Read less...

In a similar incident, another civilian Farooq Ahmed Sheikh was shot dead by terrorists at Chatroo in the Doda district on January 26. Read less...

Meanwhile, a civilian, Nazir Bibi wife of Faqir Ahmed, resident of village Niyara near Bambal Majra in the Rajouri district, was killed by a group of terrorists on January 26 night. Read less...

On January 26, an unidentified group of terrorists opened firing on a joint patrol party of police and security forces at village Malhan in Surankote tehsil (administrative unit) of Poonch district, injuring a security force (SF) personnel and killing a civilian. The terrorists managed to escape from the incident site. Read less...

Separately, on January 26, SF personnel rescued a minor boy, Gafoor, from captivity of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorists after more than four months of his kidnapping at village Ladha in the Udhampur district. Read less...

Also, security forces destroyed a terrorist hideout in Gool and recovered four AK magazines, nine rounds of AK and four rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition. Read less...

In another incident, some unidentified terrorists forced their entry into the house of Abdur Rehman Mir at Ichhgooza village in the Pulwama district and shot dead his 24-year-old daughter, Hafeeza. Read less...

SF personnel have arrested a suspected terrorist, Abdul Aziz, during a search operation at Rajdhani in the Rajouri district. One pistol, one magazine, 38 rounds, two hand grenades, one remote control device, four detonators and a LPG cylinder were recovered from his possession. Read less...

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (AHPC) has appealed to the terrorist outfits to shun violence and give it two months time to resolve the Kashmir issue. The Hurriyat Conference has said that it will present a roadmap for resolving the Kashmir issue to the Union Government in its second round of talks with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, scheduled to be held in the later part of March. "We not only have a peace strategy but a roadmap for resolving the Kashmir issue as well. We are going to present this roadmap and some proposals to Mr Advani in our next meeting with him," the Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Farooq said in a television programme on January 27. However, he refused to divulge the contours of the roadmap but said it would take into account the wishes and aspirations of all communities and regions in Jammu and Kashmir. Read less...

Two civilians, Mushtaq Ahmed Wani and Bashir Ahmed Wani were shot dead by unidentified terrorists at Batkoot in the Kupwara district on January 27. Read less...

In a separate incident, two LeT terrorists, including a ‘commander’ were killed in an encounter at village Salwa, also in the same district. Stray bullets injured a civilian during the encounter. Two AK rifles, seven magazines, 120 rounds, a wireless set, seven grenades and some incriminating documents, among other things, were recovered from the encounter site. Read less...

In another encounter between security forces and terrorists at Fidarpora in Rafiabad area of Baramulla district, four heavily armed terrorists belonging to different outfits were killed. Unconfirmed reports identified the slain terrorists as Tamia of Al-Badr, Abu Zaid of Lashkar-eToiba (LeT), Danish of Tehrik-e-Jehad-e-Islami (TJI) and Nazir Ahmed Mir of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM). Read less...

Meanwhile, in a cross firing between SFs and two unidentified terrorists at Rathsun village in Beerwah locality of Budgam district, a civilian was killed. The terrorists managed to escape from the incident site. Read less...

On January 30, security forces (SF) raided a terrorist hideout at Kumhar Mohalla of Sogam, in the Kupwara district, and killed six Pakistani cadres affiliated to the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (HUJI). Six AK-56 rifles, 6 hand grenades, 30 UBGLs and 3 wireless sets were recovered from the hideouts. Official sources identified the six slain terrorists as "divisional commander" Abu Asgar Khan, Abu Zaid, Abu Kaleemullah (Lashkar-e-Toiba), "divisional commander" Abu Hanzala, Abu Murshid and Abu Ibrahim (HUJI). Police sources added that Abu Ibrahim alias "captain" was a ‘commander’ of the HUJI’s suicide squads. Read less...

A group of unidentified terrorists reportedly abducted and later killed a civilian at Achabal in the Anantnag district on January 31. Read less...

Another terrorist, Manzoor Ahmed Mir of Kalaroos in Kupwara district, was arrested on January 31 by security personnel in Chadoura area. Read less...

Briefing the decisions of the cabinet that lasted for more than three hours, Chief Secretary, Dr. Sudhir S. Bloeria said that the policy aims at providing an opportunity for return of those terrorists who have undergone change of the heart in the fast changing atmosphere for peace in the State and want to shun the path of violence to join mainstream. However, those involved in the heinous crimes will not be entitled to the benefit of the scheme, he added. The Chief Secretary said that under this rehabilitation scheme, the government would provide Rupees 150,000 as rehabilitation incentive in the shape of Fixed Deposit Receipt (FDR) that would be drawn only on completion of 3-years of normal life with good behavior after the surrender. For the sustenance of the surrendered terrorist, Rupees 2000 would be paid as monthly stipend after the surrender. Read less...

In another encounter at village Haidpora hill in the Anantnag district, on January 31, an unidentified terrorist was killed by the SFs. One AK rifle, three magazines, 57 rounds, one wireless set and three Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) were recovered from the slain terrorist. Read less...

In another incident, one civilian was killed and 15 others, including several women and children, were injured in a grenade blast near the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Anantnag. Official sources said that an Ikhwani camp was the real target of the terrorists. Read less...

In other incidents of violence, unidentified terrorists hurled a hand grenade on a civilian’s house at Sogam in the Kupwara district. Though it caused some minor damage, nobody was injured in the blast. Terrorists also reportedly fired upon and left wounded one civilian at Woghama in the Bijbehara area. Read less...

Meanwhile, two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists were killed by security forces after an encounter at the Nayidgam village in the Shopian area of Pulwama district. Read less...

On January 31, security forces (SFs) killed three Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorists in an encounter at Danspora in the Budgam district. Some arms and ammunition were also recovered from the slain terrorists. Read less...

On January 31, the Border Security Force (BSF) arrested a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) cadre and recovered 4.5 Kilograms of RDX from his possession in Srinagar. The terrorist identified as Fayaz Ahmad Lone alias Abdul Basif and Sajid, a resident of Chakravaty-Bhaderwah in Doda district, was arrested by the security forces from the house of one Mudasir Manzoor Pahloo at Rajbagh locality of the city. Besides 4.5 kilograms of RDX, 5 electronic detonators, 1 hand grenade, one battery of satellite phone, charger and some incriminating documents were recovered from him. Read less...

On January 31, three Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorists were killed in an encounter by security forces at Malapora village in Beerwah area of Budgam district. While the troops were laying siege to the village, a group of three terrorists took shelter inside the local mosque. In the daylong gunbattle, troops killed all the three terrorists inside the mosque. Two of them were identified as Bashir Ahmed Dar and Javed Ahmed Bhat. The third one carried an identity card in the name of Bashir Ahmed Ganai. The place of worship reportedly suffered minor damages in the exchange of gunfire. Three AK-56 rifles and a wireless set were recovered from the possession of the slain terrorists. Read less...

Separately, three security force personnel and four civilians sustained injuries when unidentified terrorists caused an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast at Poshwani Crossing in the Pattan area of Baramulla district. Read less...

SFs killed a Pakistani infiltrator, suspected to be a fidayeen (member of a suicide squad) at Chargil, Jammu district, on January 31. One AK-56 rifle, three AK magazines, 68 rounds and two hand grenades were recovered from the possession of the slain terrorist. Read less...

The Bomb Disposal Squad defused an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), allegedly planted by terrorists, at a place on the road between Keegam and Gabarpora in the Shopian area. Also, an IED planted by terrorists detonated in a vegetable farm at Kralpora in the Zadibal area. No casualties have been reported in the incident. Read less...

The editor of a local news agency, News and Feature Alliance (NAFA), Parvaz Mohammad Sultan, was shot dead by an unidentified terrorist at his office-cum-residence in Press Enclave in Srinagar on January 31. According to official sources, Parvaz Sultan, a resident of Bijbehara, was also editing the prominent Ikhwani (counter-insurgent) Javed Shah’s Urdu daily, Wattan, for over a year and also contributing to the Congress party’s, Qaumi Awaz, and some vernacular newspapers. A media report said that NAFA had been prominently carrying reports of the internal feud in the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) group for the last two weeks. The NAFA reports had mentioned that the Valley-based faction led by senior Hizb functionary, Abdul Majeed Dar, had now overthrown the Pakistan-based faction of Syed Salahuddin. No terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the assassination thus far. Read less...

The State Government has launched a new rehabilitation policy to facilitate return of terrorists to mainstream by shunning violence. The scheme which has been cleared by the Union Government and funded through security related expenditure, was approved by the State Cabinet on January 31 in Jammu with Deputy Chief Minister, Mangat Ram Sharma in chair. Read less...