Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Aug 31: Army foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir killing five militants early today.
A Srinagar based Defence spokesman said here that based on specific intelligence about likelihood of infiltration, troops deployed in Tangdhar sector along the LoC in Kupwara district launched a counter infiltration operation over two nights, resulting in the killing of five militants who were attempting to sneak into Kashmir.
The spokesman said that the alert troops who were guarding the LoC got intelligence inputs about likelihood of infiltration attempt on the night of August 29.
“At approximately 11.30 p.m. on August 29, the intruders were spotted attempting infiltration. Accordingly, troops established counter infiltration posture to cover the route of infiltration and they were trapped at a location, approximately 1.5 kilometers on own side of the Line of Control”, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that the security grid remained in place for 24 hours despite difficult terrain and bad weather in the sector. “On the night of August 30, the noose around the group was tightened forcing them to attempt breaking out of the cordon. At 9.30 p.m., two militants were spotted at approximately 50 metres from the troops. On being challenged, they opened heavy fire. The fire fight ensued for few hours resulting into the killing of four of them. Later, the other one was also detected in the same area. He too was effectively engaged and gunned down”, the spokesman added.
The spokesman said that after the search of the area six AK-47 rifles and other warlike stores were recovered. “The identity and affiliation of the group is yet to be ascertained”, the spokesman added.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, Lt General Gurmit Singh, commended the soldiers and commanders for the professionalism and grit resulting into surgical counter infiltration operation eliminating the infiltration bid. He also conveyed special appreciation to the intelligence agencies for the effective intelligence grid.
The killing of the infiltrators comes a day after security forces killed five top foreign militants of Hizbul Mujahideen, including district commander Qari Assadullah, in Kangan area of central Kashmir Ganderbal district.
This is the second major infiltration bid that was foiled by the troops along the LoC in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. On July 14, Army foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district by killing three militants.
Around six militants tried to infiltrators near Ghoda gap on the LoC in Keran sector of Kupwara district. Three militant were killed while three others managed to flee back to Pakistan.
Last month on July 30, Army claimed that four infiltrators were killed in an encounter in Macchil sector of Kupwara and on July 9, 5 militants were killed in Keran sector of Kupwara when troops spotted a group of six militants who were trying to sneak in. Troops fired at them and killed them near the Pakistani posts.
However, the Army couldn’t retrieve their bodies as they were lying near the Pakistani posts and mine fields but Hizbul Mujahideen later confirmed that the militants who were killed belonged to the outfit.
Two militants were also killed in Shalabato area of Keran sector last month when a group of infiltrators was challenged by the Army on the LoC.
Around 38 militants were killed in Kashmir this year most of them while they were trying to infiltrate into Kashmir valley.
It may be mentioned here that as per Army, 350 militants waiting on the launching pads on the other side of the LoC in Tangdhar,Keran, Macchil and Gurez sectors. The Army says that the militants are desperate to infiltrate into Kashmir as their numbers have declined during past few years due to successful operations by the security forces in Kashmir valley.
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