Pakistani LeT commander, aide killed in Jammu and Kashmir

JAMMU - The Indian Army said it killed Wednesday a top Pakistani commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit and his aide in a fierce gun battle in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district.

Abdullah Anas or Abu Anas, a self-styled divisional commander of the LeT, was gunned down inside a house in Judi Khurd area, 190 km northeast of Jammu, the state’s winter capital.

Abu Anas was also the main ‘hawala’ coordinator for LeT, responsible for clandestine money transfers in Jammu and Kashmir.

Also killed was his trusted aide Abu Maaz, also a Pakistani.

Acting on a tip, soldiers from the 26 and 31 battalions of Rashtriya Rifles - a counter-insurgency force of the army - surrounded the house.

“Four civilians were evacuated from the house to ensure they were not harmed,” said army spokesperson Lt. Col. Biplab Nath in a statement.

Once that happened, the fighting started between the troops and the holed up guerrillas.

“There was heavy exchange of fire after terrorists opened fire at the troops around 1 p.m. (Wednesday). This continued for two hours before the terrorists were gunned down,” Lt. Col. Nath said.

Soldiers recovered two AK-47 rifles from the dead men.

An army official said the two Pakistanis routinely molested local women.

“Fearing reprisals, the locals chose to turn a blind eye. The two were actively involved in planning terror strikes against security forces,” the official said.

“For the security forces, the neutralization of the two LeT militants is a resounding success,” he said.