Indian Army guns down Sunjuwan terror attack wanted JeM commander

Srinagar: A top militant commander said to be the mastermind of Sunjuwan army camp terror attack was on Monday killed in a gunfight with the security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district.

"Top Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) commander, Mufti Waqas, wanted for several attacks including Sunjuwan army camp attack, was killed in an encounter at Hatiwara village in Awantipora area of Pulwama district today (Monday)," the police said.

Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said: "Based on specific intelligence about the presence of a terrorist in Hatiwara village of Awantipora, a joint specific operation was launched by 50 Rashtriya Rifles."

During the operation, the mastermind of the Sunjuwan terrorist attack and Letpora terrorist attack, JeM operational commander Mufti Waqas -- category A++ terrorist -- was eliminated in a surgical operation, Kalia said.

"There have been no civilian casualties or collateral damage. This has resulted in a major dent to the designs of JeM, as after elimination of their earlier operational commander, Noor Muhammad Tantray, in the same area on December 17, his successor too has been killed," he added.