Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, May 31: Army today foiled fidayeen attack on its Brigade headquarters in Tanghdar in the frontier district of Kupwara by killing four members of six heavily armed militants.
An Army spokesman said here that three militants were killed in Tanghdar and operation against rest of the group is going on.
Sources said that security guard of supply depot of the Army outside the Brigade headquarters noticed the movement of militants near the depot and he fired at them. The militants fired back and Army from 3/1 GR, 20 RR, 12 Maratha and 26 Rajput was rushed immediately to the area and operation was launched against heavily armed group of militants.
Army also airlifted 40 members of elite Army Commandos of 4-Para from Kupwara to conduct the operation against these heavily armed militants.
These six Fidayeen were engaged in a fierce gun battle by Army Commandos and militants took shelter in two civilian houses belonging to Muneer Sheikh, son of Mehboob Sheikh and Shakoor Sheikh, son of Ata Mohammad Sheikh outside the brigade headquarters. However, around 11 inmates including women and children ran away towards the forests and Army had to carefully conduct operation against these militants to prevent civilian casualties.
Army Commandos fired mortars to blast off these houses. Sources said that there were multiple blasts in these two houses as the militants were carrying large quantity of ammunition that went off in army operation.
Sources said that six men were heavily armed and they had to target the Brigade Headquarters in Tanghdar. The civilians who were questioned have revealed that the militants were heavily armed.
Army has detained three people from the area who were suspiciously moving there during the operation. They have been handed over to the police and are being questioned about the group of militants.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, North Kashmir Range, Gareeb Dass told Excelsior that four militants were killed near the Brigade Headquarters in Tanghdar today. He said that the encounter took place in Bakhian village near hospital outside Brigade Headquarter. “One civilian is still trapped inside the village and operation against rest of the militant group is on. So far no dead body has been recovered and clear picture will emerge tomorrow when the area will be searched in the morning”, he added.
The attempt of fidayeen attack comes six months after last year’s attack in which heavily armed six militants carried out a fidayeen attack on Mohra Army camp in Uri in the frontier district of Baramulla killing 11 security men including 8 Army men.
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