India: Top Lashkar (TRF) terrorist Lateef Rather, two others killed in encounter at Budgam in Kashmir

In India, Jammu and Kashmir police along with security forces tasted a huge success in Central Kashmir's Budgam district on Wednesday. In an encounter that started earlier today (August 10), a top terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba(TRF) Lateef Rather was killed along with two other terrorists of the group. Rather was an A++ category terrorist and was active since 2001.

Rather was also involved in the killings of TV actress Ambreen Bhat and Kashmiri pandit Rahul Bhat in May. According to Jammu and Kashmir police, Rather was a recycled terrorist and was the right hand of Abu Qasim, who had in 2013 carried out an attack in the Hyderpora area of Srinagar in which eight soldiers were killed.

"An important operation was conductedtoday in Budgam district with inputs from Srinagar. All the three terrorists were killed and the most important was the killing of Lateef Rather. All the terrorists who were involved in the civilian killings have been neutralised and only one is left," said ADGP Vijay Kumar, Kashmir Police.

Jammu and Kashmir Police also said that around 80 local terrorists are still active in the Valley, while security forces also believe that there are 45-50 foreign terrorists across Kashmir.

With today's encounter, 130 terrorists have been killed in the Kashmir division. "Hybrid terrorists are not a challenge for us anymore, It was a challenge in the beginning. We have managed to break the hybrid terror code," said ADGP Vijay Kumar, Kashmir Police.

Jammu and Kashmir Police also said that the pistols recovered from the hybrid terrorists this year have been Turkish-made.

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