SRINAGAR, June 29: Fresh freedom-related violence overnight and Sunday left 16 people dead, five of them killed by suspected Mujahideen, in occupied Kashmir, a police spokesman said.

The violence comes a day after two Kashmiri fighters attacked an Indian army camp near Jammu, that left 12 soldiers and the attackers dead.

Police said suspected freedom fighters abducted the head of Kanilwan hamlet near Bijbehara, 40 kilometres south of Srinagar, and shot him dead.

They identified the victim as Ghulam Hassan, a top-ranking worker of state Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s ruling People’s Democratic Party.

Police said suspected Mujahideen shot dead three Kashmiris — Mohammed Kabir, Bashir Ahmed and Mohammed Ashraf — in the southern Kashmir districts of Pulwama, Poonch and Doda.

In the Arigam village of Baramula district suspected Kashmiri fighters shot dead Azam Khan, a member of Ikhwan group on Sunday.

The Ikhwan members work as ad hoc policemen and assist security forces in counter against freedom-fighters.

An Indian army officer and two Kashmiris were killed on Sunday in a fierce encounter in the Thanamandi area of Rajouri district, police said.

Indian security forces also killed eight Mujahideen in separate encounters in Doda, Kathua, Poonch, Baramula and Anantnag districts overnight and Sunday, police said.

Two of the killed Mujahideen — one each in Kathua and Baramulla — were trying to enter illegally in occupied Kashmir, police said.—AFP