Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 27: A gunbattle broke out between security forces and militants at Manigah forest area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district today.
Army’s 41 RR, and commandos from 4 PARA, 9 PARA launched massive search operation in number of forest areas in Manigah following killing of Army Colonel on November 17. They intercepted the militant group today in the afternoon at Peer Mohalla area of Haji Naka in Manigah, leading to a gun battle.
SP Kupwara, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat said that the operation is on in Manigah since last 13 days. He said that since then the joint team of security forces had established contacts with the militants intermittently resulting into the killing of one militant so far.
“The joint team of forces while intensifying the combing operation in the area today morning suddenly had contact with the militants hiding inside the local mud house”, Aijaz said.
The SP said that the cordon is in place to prevent the militants from fleeing.
Sources said that some mud houses have been blasted off and were razed to rubble.
Two militant who are said to be hiding inside the ‘Dok’ at Peer Mohalla were part of the group that infiltrated last month. The group has already lost two of its members. One died due to cold while another was killed in an encounter. Before being intercepted, the group was trapped due to heavy rains and snow.
The group had managed to escape many times since November 13 at different locations in Manigah forests. On November 17, the group killed an Army officer, Lt Colonel Santosh Mahadek of 41 RR in forest area of Behak near Sonwali in Manigah.
On November 22, an Army Colonel SK Natt was injured in the encounter and on November 23, Army eliminated one militant at Manigah.
On Nov 10, the Army’s 41 RR had recovered the body of a militant in Kumkadi forests of Manigah who is believed to have died due to severe cold.
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