JAMMU, Sept 5: Security forces on Sunday eliminated a district commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit in a fierce encounter in Mendhar tehsil of border district Poonch.

The slain terrorist has been identified as Abu Umar Khaitab of Pakistan who was active in this area for the past eight months.

Khaitab and another militant, Mohammad Zubair, were hiding in the house of Zubair’s father, retired CRPF hawaldar Abdul Khaliq. On seeing the patrol, the militants opened fire, to which the forces retaliated. The forces later won over Zubair, who surrendered.

The forces also arrested two overground workers during the encounter and recovered of a large cache of arms and ammunition.

An Army jawan, Lance Naik Sajjan Singh of 37 Rashtriya Rifle, was seriously injured in the battle.

In yet another major breakthrough, a joint column of Rashtriya Rifles of CIF busted a large well stocked terrorist hideout with ammunition and explosives in Gulabgarh area.