Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, June 23: After failing to infiltrate from the Macchil sector last week, a group of around 15 highly trained Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants are making their efforts to infiltrate through adjacent Gurez sector.
The group attempted infiltration from the Macchil sector of Kupwara last week but it was foiled by the alert troops deployed along the Line of Control (LoC) and two of their members were killed while rest three who had reached near the fence managed to escape back to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Army last week on Saturday had spotted a group of 4-5 militants who were trying to cross the LoC fence near Jalandari post in Sardari Nar area. They were challenged leading to a fierce gun battle in which two infiltrators were killed. However, rest of the members of the group, believed to be three, managed to escape back to PoK under the cover of darkness and dense foliage.
Army conducted the searches for two days to ensure that no member of this group has managed to infiltrate. However, after ensuring that the militants fled back, the operation was called off.
Now, sources say that only 5 members of the JeM group tried to infiltrate from Macchil sector and other members of this group including those who attempted infiltration last week are now trying to sneak in through adjacent Gurez sector.
Sources said that 36 RR and 3-Sikh of Army deployed along LoC in Gurez have been put on high alert after these militants conducted recce and are planning to infiltrate.
The Army in Gurez has also intensified patrolling along the LoC and is keeping round the clock vigil to prevent the group from infiltration. They are also conducing searches in the forests near the LoC against any successful infiltration bid.
Sources said that the JeM militant outfit during this year is more active in infiltrating its highly trained cadres into Kashmir. Several efforts by the militants of the outfit have been foiled so far by the Army but they are desperate to sneak in.
Army has foiled five infiltration attempts by militants, mostly belonging to JeM, during past one month killing 10 infiltrators. Two Army jawans also lost their lives while one officer was critically injured. These infiltration bids were foiled in Tanghdar, Keran, Toot Mari Gali (TMG) and Macchil sectors along the LoC in district Kupwara.
Last year, Army killed 59 militants along the LoC which is highest so far in past over a decade.
Army says that 200 militants are waiting on the launch pads along the LoC to cross into Kashmir valley. However, Army is alert and there is a strong counter-infiltration grid in place to foil infiltration attempts by militants.
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