Hizbul Mujahideen carried out attack at J&K's Shopian

The militants who carried out the Shopian attack in which three army personnel were killed were from the Hizbul Mujahideen, investigations have revealed. Terrorists launched an attack on an army patrol party in the wee hours of Thursday. One woman was killed in the cross-firing.

Investigations have revealed that the terrorists attacked the patrolling party of the 44-RR at Mulu Chitragam area with grenades. The army personnel immediately fired back, but the terrorists managed to escape.

The terrorists have been identified as Tariq Ahmed Bhat, Zeenatul Islam, Abid Manzoor, Aasif Ahmed and Showkat



Peer. While Manzoor is a resident of Pulwama, the rest are from Shopian.

The Hizbul Mujahideen has stepped up its activities in Jammu and Kashmir since the past year. The group has carried out several attacks on the highways where army patrol parties have been targeted. The army has been complaining that several locals have been helping the militants flee.

Statistics would reveal that at least 25 militants had fled after locals came out in their support and pelted stones at the army personnel involved in an encounter. The army has warned of stringent action against the locals who aide terrorists.