Says ‘86 civilians killed, 1800 receive pellet injuries, 41 rifles snatched this year’
Srinagar, Dec 29: Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, a militant outfit on Saturday said that during the year 2018, at least 345 gunfights were raged in Kashmir, leaving 266 militants dead while 231 forces personnel were also killed.
Hizb said that 375 forces personnel were injured in the year 2018 different attacks by the militants, which include five Major rank officers.
In an emailed statement to KNS, the Hizb spokesman Saleem Hashmi said that “out of the 231 security forces men killed in the year 2018 include one JCO and four officers.”
Hizb spokesman further added that “the militants carried 33 attacks on security forces this year, which led to the death or injury to dozens of government forces besides damaging three Casper vehicles of forces.”
“In this year, the forces damaged 50 residential houses including one Jamia Masjid during the encounters with militants by using mortar shells or other explosive material, which led to the huge loss of people,” the yearly report by Hizb said.
It added that “during the search operations or encounters, 86 civilians were killed this year while 1800 received pellet injuries, blinding many and also dozens of forces personnel were also injured.”
Hizb spokesman further stated that “in this year, during crackdown and other searches, the forces have arrested 450 persons in Kashmir, saying that 107 persons were arrested on false charges by tagging them as stone pelters and for helping militants and have been booked under PSA and shifted to different jails in or outside the State.”
He said that 42 dead bodies were found in different areas while many among them were bullet riddled.
The spokesman said, “41 rifles including one pistol were snatched by the militants from forces personnel this year, which is higher than the past year. 24 forces personnel have committed suicide in Kashmir for different reasons.”
