Top Lashkar commander Abu Bakr killed in Sopore encounter

Security forces have gunned down a top commander of the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba after a fierce encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore in the afternoon today.

The slain LeT militant, identified as AbuBakr, was killed after a 6-hour-long encounter in which the security forces had to blast the building where the terrorist was hiding.

LeT commander Abu Bakr was holed up in a residential house in Bomai. The security forces blasted the building where he was hiding and firing  at them.

As forces approached the house, they were fired upon by the militant. Abu Bakr was killed in retaliatory firing by security forces, bringing the encounter to an end.

The Army had launched a massive search operation to smoke out hidden terrorists in Sopore in Baramulla district.

The Army and the police had cordoned off the area and launched search operations in Bomai area of Sopore in Baramulla, where some terrorists were believed to be hiding.

Earlier this morning, a terrorist was neutralised in an encounter with security forces in Bijbehara, Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a heavy gunfire on 8 December, three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists were killed in an encounter in Arwani area of Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag.