Indian forces kill JeM chief Masood Azhar's 'nephew' in occupied Kashmir

PULWAMA – Indian forces on Tuesday claimed to have killed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar's nephew, Talha Rashid, during an operation in a village of Occupied Kashmir.

During the encounter, two other suspects and an Indian soldier were also killed during a cordon and search operation in Aglar Kandi village of Pulwama district by Indian security forces, India media reported.

According to Asia News International, JeM spokesperson has confirmed the death of Rashid. The others were identified as  JeM's Divisional Commander Muhammad Bhai and Waseem, a resident of Pulwama's Drubgam,

According to the Hindustan Times, a police spokesperson said the operation was carried out following intelligence information.

"While the cordon was being laid, the militants opened fire in which one army jawan and a civilian got injured," the spokesperson said.

The police also recovered two AK-47s and a pistol from the site of the encounter.

The Indian media quoted occupied Kashmir’s Inspector General of Police Munir Khan as saying, "an excellent operation, nicely coordinated between the Jammu and Kashmir police, the army and the CRPF."

"We will ask Pakistan to collect the body because they [JeM] owned it," he alleged.

The killings of JeM leaders come after China has once again blocked a proposal at the United Nations to list Jaish-e-Muhammad’s chief Masood Azhar as a globally designated terrorist, irking its neighbouring country, India.

India, supported by the United States and other countries, has been trying to press the UN to put the name of Azhar on a list of groups with links to al Qaeda, accusing him of carrying out a series of attack in India.