December 15, 2001	Saturday	Ramazan 29, 1422

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SRINAGAR, Dec 14: Indian security forces killed a dozen of Kashmiris, including three top members of the Hizbul Mujahideen, overnight and Friday and seized more than three million rupees ($64,000), the army and police said.

The three Hizbul members were shot dead by army and counter-insurgency police during a clash near Patan township, 30 kilometres north of Srinagar.

An army spokesman said the dead Mujahideen included a divisional commander named Nazir Ahmed Yatoo, who “has been a kingpin and chief coordinator of all activities in north Kashmir” and headed a list of most-wanted freedom fighters.

Some Rs3.26m was recovered from the militants’ hide-out.

“Yatoo was raising finances for the group,” the spokesman said.

Security forces also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, besides 40 kilograms of plastic explosive.

Meanwhile, security forces on Friday shot dead two Mujahideen near the international border in the Akhnoor sector of the southern Jammu region, police said.

Two members of the Jaish-i-Mohammed were also shot dead by security forces in the Zainpora area of the southern Pulwama district overnight, a police spokesman said.—AFP