Army colonel, Major among 5 killed; 2 militants gunned down in Kupwara

Srinagar: Five security force personnel, including a Colonel and a Major, were killed while two militants were gunned down in an encounter at Handwara in the frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara, official sources said here on Sunday.
 
They said that following specific information about presence of militants, a joint Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched by Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K police, Army and CRPF at Chanjmullah in Handwara on Saturday evening.
 
However, they said when security forces were sealing a particular area, militants hiding there, fired at them with automatic weapons, “The security forces retaliated, ensuing in an encounter,” they said.
 
They said four Army personnel, including the Commanding officer, a Major alongwith two soldiers and a J&K Policeman, were killed in the encounter. “Two militants were also gunned down during the gunfight,” they added. (UNI)