Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Aug 26: A militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was killed in a fierce gun battle this morning at Qazinag forests in North Kashmir’s Uri area of Baramulla district while 4 others were trapped in adjacent Hamam Markote forests of Rafiabad.
The operation was launched three days ago on August 23 after two people reported to the Police Station Boniyar in Uri that they were thrashed by a group of 5 militants in the forests who snatched their cell phones as well.
Army’s 46 RR along with the additional reinforcement of 17 JAK Rif, 4 Para and Jammu and Kashmir Police immediately launched an operation at Murgan Beehak forest area of Bijhama in Uri, district Baramulla on August 23.
The operation continued since then and more additional troops of 35 RR and 32 RR were also called in and they laid an outer cordon and a huge forest area was sealed and searches were conducted on massive scale.
All the escape routes were plugged by the troops so as to prevent the group from fleeing the forest area. A Defence spokesman said this morning that Army challenged the group leading to a fierce gun battle in which one militant was killed. One AK-47 rifle and war like stores were recovered from him.
The area has dense bushes and boulders which provide natural cover to militants to hide. As the troops continued search against rest members of the group, they were traced in Hamam Markote forests, several kilometers away from the spot where the militant was killed in the morning.
As they were traced out, Army’s 32 RR and Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police cordoned off the forest area in Hamam Markote area of Rafiabad laid a cordon to engage them.
Reports said that it is the same group of militants who were trapped in Bijhama and fled away from there in the morning after one of their associates was killed in the fierce gun battle.
Sources said that these militants made a call across to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) informing their LeT handlers that they are now completely trapped and there is no escape route. They informed them that their death is imminent now.
The troops challenged them leading to a fierce gun battle this evening. It continued for several hours but as night fell, no firing was reported. Army believes another militant has been shot dead but his body has not been recovered. Since it is a dense forest area and it is pitch dark, the troops have decided to conduct the searches of the forest area in the morning. However, sources said that the militant group has been trapped and they have no escape route and it is matter of time when they will be eliminated.
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