Massive operations launched; Para, drones pressed into service
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 5: Three Army personnel who were critically injured in Poonch type attack on Army in Halan forests of Kulgam last evening, succumbed to injuries while security forces have launched a massive operation against the militants responsible for the attack.
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An official said that a heavily armed group of militants last evening carried out an attack on 34RR of the Army at village Halan where they were pitching a tent.
He said that militants threw a grenade on the troops and later fired at them in which three soldiers were martyred and two of them were critically injured.
The martyred soldiers were identified as HC Babulal, Siti Wasim Ahmad and Siti Sachin while one of the critically injured soldier has been identified as Nayak Subedar Satish.
The official said that four AK-47 rifles were snatched from the soldiers and the militants fled into the forest area after carrying out the attack.
The official said that as per the initial reports the attack was carried out by three militants with two of them being foreigners and one was local.
Army’s Srinagar based Chinar Corps tweeted: “On specific inputs regarding presence of terrorists on higher reaches of Halan in Kulgam, operations launched by Security Forces on 04 Aug 23. In exchange of firing with terrorists, three personnel sustained injuries and later succumbed (sic.)”.
“Search operations are continuing”, read the tweet further.
The official said that security forces have launched a massive search operation in the area. He said that large numbers of Army troops have been rushed to the area including the para commandos who are conducting combing operation of the forest.
The official said that helicopters and drones are also being used to trace out the militants responsible for the attack. He said that this is the largest offensive launched in South Kashmir in recent years against militants.
He said that the forests have dense vegetation with a lot of undergrowth which is making the operation very difficult.
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