In a day long battle, Army gunned down 5 Lashkar-e-Toiba militants in Kashmir’s Kupwara Lolab area. One jawan also lost his life in the operation which continued for 12 hours. 4 security personnel were also injured in the operations which began early morning. According to police sources, 2 among the dead militants were top LeT commanders who have been identified as Saqib and Hammad.

Both the commanders lived in Pakistan. Sources said that police received a tip-off about the company of terrorists inside the house of Ghulam Mohammed Mir. Initially police decided to take upon themselves to combat militants but when it was learnt that there is half a dozen, then they roped in the Army’s local unit. The militants took a woman as hostage and when they were asked to surrender they open fired on the forces.