Nidae Kashmir‘Aijaz Reshi was active before Burhan Wani, His aide Sajad Sofi was also recruited by him; He had killed many security forces personnel in Pampore area; Local recruitment less compared to previous years’
Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh said that the gunfight that took place at Samboora, Pampore in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district yesterday night was a successful operation and security forces achieved a “big success” by killing one of the longest surviving militant commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit and his close aide.
“The operation at Samboora, Pulwama started yesterday and due to the dark, search operation couldn’t take place. When the search was started today morning, two militant bodies were recovered. One of the slain militants has been identified as Aijaz Ahmed Reshi, who was the longest surviving militant commanders of the Lashkar outfit. He was working as Over Ground Worker (OGW) in 2015 and joined militancy before Burhan Wani,” Director General of Police (DGP) Singh told reporters while addressing a press conference at District Police Lines (DPL) Awantipora, Pulwama, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)
He said Aijaz was a “dangerous militant” who carried out deadly attacks on security forces inflicting heavy casualties. “He took part in an attack at EDI Pampore in which eight CRPF men were killed. He had transported the Lashkar men to the spot as well. At Kadlabal, Pampore, he had fired at an army party killing three soldiers. He had taken part in a series of attacks on security forces,” the DGP said.
He was the main recruiter for the Lashkar and had recruitment many youths especially Towseef Khanday, Rafiq Dar, and Adil Ahmed, all slain Lashkar militants. “Aijaz was killed along with other local militant Sajad Ahmed Sofi who was recruitment by Aijaz and trained by him only,” the DGP said.
He said that two AK-47 rifles, two magazines, some rounds, and incriminating material were recovered from the slain militants. “The killing of Aijaz Reshi is a big success for security forces and there will be a dip in the local militant recruitment where he was operating,” the DGP Singh said as per KNO. He complimented the 50 RR and 110 battalion units of CRPF who were part of the operation at Samboora.
To a query about local militancy recruitment in South Kashmir, the DGP said that the graph is low compared to previous years. “In the past 15 days, three youth were brought back. And this year so far, 24 youth who had left homes and joined militancy, was brought back with the active cooperation of their parents,” the DGP Singh said
