Separatists call for strike tomorrow in protest against civilians' killings

Separatists today called for a strike in Kashmir tomorrow against the recent civilians' killings allegedly in the security forces firing.

A 23-year-old man was allegedly killed in security forces firing today after a group of youth pelted stones on them while an encounter was on in Chedar Ban area of Qaimoh in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, police said.

The JRL (Joint Resistance Leadership), comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, has called for a complete shutdown tomorrow, a JRL spokesman said in a statement.

The spokesman said the separatist trio have expressed serious concern over the re-starting of operation all-out and cordon and search operation (CASO)" in Kashmir ... especially in south Kashmir which has resulted in the killing of four innocent civilians.

Security forces have been carrying out operations to sanitise the Jammu-Srinagar national highway ahead of the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, beginning June 28, another senior police official said.

Two Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists, including its self-styled divisional commander Shakoor Ahmed Dar, were killed today in an encounter with security forces, while another militant surrendered, in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.

This is the third major encounter along the national highway. Three militants of Jaish were gunned down in Tral on June 20, four of IS-JK, an affiliate of the banned ISIS terror group, including its chief Dawood Sofi, were killed on June 22.