LIVE News Updates: Jaish-e-Mohammed Commander Sajad Nawab Dar neutralised in encounter in Sopore

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Jaish-e-Mohammed Commander Sajad Nawab Dar got neutralised in the ongoing encounter in Sopore. Further details awaited: Kashmir Zone Police, Jammu and Kashmir

Anti-government militants have gunned seven civilians in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province, local police said Wednesday.

"The victims went to a mountain side for picnic in Taliban-held area in Sholgara district on Tuesday. They were held by militants and were shot dead later on the Tuesday evening," Sayyid Aref Iqbal, police chief of Sholgara, told Xinhua.

Local villagers shifted the bodies to the district center and their relatives were notified, the police chief added.

Taliban militant group has not made comments so far.

The Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of armed conflicts as more than 3,400 civilians were killed and over 6,900 others injured in conflict-related incidents in 2019, according to the figures released by UN mission in the country.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has attributed 62 per cent of the civilian casualties to the Taliban and other insurgent groups, 28 per cent to security forces over the period while the rest 10 per cent were caused by other reasons.

Heavy firing exchanges started on Wednesday between holed up militants and the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore town.

Police sources said following information about the presence of militants in the Arampora area of Sopore town, security forces started a cordon and search operation in the area late Tuesday evening.

"As the surrounding security forces closed on the hiding militants, they resorted to indiscriminate firing at the security forces triggering an encounter which is now going on", sources said.

All entry and exit points into the area have been sealed. Reports said two to three militants could be hiding in the area.

A man allegedly shot dead his teenage son and then killed himself over a dispute over a glass of milk.

An encounter started in Armpora Sopore in north Kashmir early wednesday. A group of miliants were trapped in the Cordon which was laid by the security forces Tuesday evening.