Soldier, 2 terrorists killed in encounter in Sopore

Two terrorists, including a top commander of the Harkat-ul-Mujaheedin outfit, and a soldier of the Indian Army were killed in a fierce encounter near north Kashmir's Sopore town on Wednesday.

A senior police officer said troops of the counter insurgency Rashtriya Rifles and special operations group of the state police surrounded a house in Haigam village on the outskirts of Sopore on Tuesday morning after receiving specific information about the presence of a group of HuM terrorists inside the house.

"As the security forces challenged the holed-up terrorists to surrender, they opened fire at the surrounding troops killing a soldier," the officer said.

"The fire was returned triggering an encounter at the end of which two terrorists including the HuM commander identified as Nauman were killed."

The police officer described the killing of Nauman as a major success as he was involved in a series of militant attacks.

"Arms and ammunition including two AK-47 rifles and five magazines were recovered from the slain militants," he added.