Srinagar: Moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Tuesday asked Kashmiris to continue with peaceful protests in the Muslim-dominated valley following death of two civilians, including a woman, in alleged firing by security forces.

The head preacher of Kashmir's Jamia Masjid led a demonstration from his ancestral home in Rajouri Kadal area of the Old City as a 30-year-old man and 25-year-old woman died in separate firing incidents in Srinagar when security forces were trying to disperse protestors.

The Mirwaiz, who heads the moderate faction of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, told hundreds of his supporters that they should continue with the protests peacefully against the alleged human rights violations by police and paramilitary forces.

The 37-year-old separatist leader known to be favouring peace talks with India was kept under house arrest in his uptown Nigeen residence in Srinagar for many days after the Hurriyat called for protests all over the valley last month.

A fresh wave of violent protests has rocked the valley as 12 people, mostly teenagers, have been killed in firing by security forces since June 11.

That was the day when 17-year-old student Tufail Mattoo died after being hit by a police tear gas shell.

On Tuesday, security forces fired at protestors killing a Fayaz Ahmed Wani and Fancy in Batamaloo area in the west of the city.

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