SRINAGAR: An offshoot of the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror outfit, called the “Kashmir Tigers,” killed two Village Defence Guard (VDG) members, Nazir Ahmed and Kuldeep Kumar, both residents of Ohli Kuntwara in Kishtwar, on Thursday morning. An encounter also erupted in Sopore, in the Baramulla district of north Kashmir, following a search operation by security forces in the evening.
According to a press statement from the “Kashmir Tigers,” “two active members of the VDG, Kuldeep Kumar and Nazir Ahmed, came pursuing the Mujahideen of Islam in the dense forests of Kishtwar in Occupied Kashmir this morning. The mujahideen initially ignored them, but they persisted in the chase and came close, at which point the mujahideen restrained them firmly.”
The statement continued, “After confessing to their actions, both were executed. We are fighting against the occupying Indian Army, but it has been observed that some misguided individuals are joining the VDG, becoming tools of the Army and pursuing the Mujahideen. Let today’s incident serve as a warning to those who might consider joining the VDG; otherwise, they will face the same fate,” said the statement from the Kashmir Tigers.
Meanwhile, gunshots were heard during a cordon and search operation in the Sagipora area of Sopore, north Kashmir, on Thursday evening. A senior police officer reported that, based on specific intelligence, a joint team of police and the Army launched a search operation in Sagipora.
During the search, gunfire was heard, leading security forces to tighten the cordon around the area. According to police sources, two to three terrorists are believed to be trapped in a house, and the exchange of fire continues as of the filing of this report.