Srinagar: A top LeT commander dubbed as the main recruiter for the militant outfit was killed with one of his aides in last night’s encounter at Samboora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, police said on Monday.

Giving details about the encounter and those killed, DGP Dilbagh Singh said in a presser on Monday that the gunfight that took place at Samboora, Pampore was a successful operation and security forces achieved “big success” by killing ‘Aijaz Reshi, one of the longest surviving militant commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit and his close aide.

“The operation at Samboora, Pulwama started late yesterday evening and due to dark, the search operation couldn’t take place. When search was started today morning, two militant bodies were recovered. One of the slain militant has been identified as Aijaz Ahmed Reshi, who was longest surviving militant commanders of Lashkar outfit. He was working as Over Ground Worker (OGW) in 2015 and joined militancy before Burhan Wani,” the DGP told reporters while addressing a press conference at District Police Lines Awantipora.

“Aijaz was killed along with other local militant Sajad Ahmed Sofi who was recruitment by Aijaz and trained by him only,” the DGP said.

Aijaz, as per him, 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 army party killing three soldiers. He had took part in series of attacks on security forces,” the DGP said.

He was the main recruiter for the Lashkar and had recruitment many youth especially Towseef Khanday, Rafiq Dar and Adil Ahmed, all slain Lashkar militants.

The DGP said that two AK-47 riffles, two magazines, some rounds, and incriminating material was recovered from the slain militants.

“The killing of Aijaz Reshi is a big success for security forces and there will be dip in the local militant recruitment where he was operating,” the DGP said.

He complimented the 50 RR and 110 battalion unit 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, were brought back with the active cooperation of their parents,” the DGP Singh said. (KNO)