2 Police Officers, 4 Taliban Militants Killed in Shootout in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir: Officials

Islamabad, May 30: Two police officers and four Taliban militants were killed in a fierce overnight shootout in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), authorities reported on Friday.

The confrontation occurred during a security operation in the Hussain Kot forest area of Rawalakot district, prompted by intelligence about the presence of militants.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rawalakot, Riaz Mughal, informed the media that the police initiated a raid after receiving a tip-off about terrorists hiding in the area.

According to Mughal, the militants, concealed in a cave, were surrounded by security forces. When officers moved to apprehend them, one militant threw a grenade, triggering an intense exchange of gunfire.

“All four terrorists were eliminated in the encounter,” Mughal stated. Three of the militants were identified as Zarnosh Naseem, his brother Gibran Naseem, and Ulfat, while the identity of the fourth remains unknown.

Tragically, two police officers, Gulzar and Tariq Bashir, lost their lives in the clash.

Security forces recovered three Kalashnikov rifles, hand grenades, four suicide vests, and a significant amount of ammunition from the site.

Regional Police Chief Abdul Jabbar confirmed that the deceased militants were affiliated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a notorious group often referred to by authorities as “Khawarji,” a term historically used to describe extremist apostates.

Such encounters with TTP militants in PoK are rare. The TTP, established in 2007 as an umbrella organization for various militant factions, maintains a strong foothold in the tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near Afghanistan.

Jabbar noted that the operation thwarted an attempt by the TTP to establish a base in PoK for launching attacks.