Hizbul's Burhan Wani gang wiped out, last emissary gunned down

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Muhammad Lateef Dar alias Lateef Tiger was killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of South Kashmir on Thursday. Another slain militant has been identified as Mufti Tariq alias Tariq Molvi, a resident of Molo Chitragam village in Shopian district. Lateef's elimination has wiped out the Burhan Wani led terror group, that was active in social media after their leader was neutralised in 2016, from Jammu and Kashmir.

Srinagar: Lateef Tiger, a top Hizbul commander and a close associate of the slain separatist poster boy Burhan Wani was among the three militants killed on Friday by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, sources said.

Clashes erupted in Anantnag, as news of Tiger's possible elimination spread. Lateef Tiger belonged to Awantipora town of Pulwama district and was part of the group of militants that were active on social media with Burhan Wani.

Hizbul militant killed in Shopian encounter

Tiger was killed in Adkhara village of Imam Sahib area and with the end of Muhammad Lateef Dar -- 11 out of 12 members of the so-called 'Burhan Brigade' in south Kashmir is all but over. Only of the remaining 12, Tariq Pandit, was arrested by the security forces in 2016.

Another slain militant has been identified as Mufti Tariq alias Tariq Molvi, a resident of Molo Chitragam village in Shopian district.

A few of the other areas in South Kashmir were also reporting clashes as news of the encounter spread despite authorities suspended mobile Internet facility in all the four south Kashmir districts.

Police said one army soldier was injured in the operation that was still underway as a third militant was still engaging the security forces.

A joint team of 34RR and troops of 178 Battalion launched a cordon operation in the Imam Sahib area of Shopian district in south Kashmir in the morning, a police official said.