SRINAGAR, Sept 30: The fierce encounter between militants and security forces in the frontier district of Kupwara near the Line of Control (LoC) today entered into fifth day after firing resumed early in the morning.
While giving details about the fresh firing that has taken place in the Shamsbari forests, General Officer commanding (GOC) 15 Corps Srinagar, Lt Gen S A Hasnain, said, "A fresh encounter started today at 5.30 in the morning. We can't say whether it is an infiltrating or exfiltrating group. We can't say how many terrorists are present as the area is close to the LoC, but a fierce encounter is taking place."
Earlier, police said yesterday that the encounter has ended after the militants stopped firing. It is one of the longest encounters between security forces and militants in the Kasmir valley in the recent months that has entered 5th day.
A total of nine persons including five militants, an Army officer Lt Sushil Khajuria, a jawan and two policemen have been killed in the gunfight.
The encounter broke out at Awathkul forest area of Kralipora on Monday when police assisted by Army launched a search operation following information about presence of heavily-armed militants in the forests.
The bodies of the five militants were recovered yesterday during search operations of the forest area by the security forces. Large quantity of arms and ammunition was recovered from the possession of the dead militants.
Army sources believed that it was a group of militants that had managed to infiltrate into Kupwara forests through Keran sector recently. When the security forces got the information about their presence in the Shambari forests, a major offensive was launched in which these militants were eliminated.
The dense forest and a tough mountainous area with lots of natural caves where militants had barricaded themselves are making the operation difficult for the security forces.
"These militants had chosen very tough terrain to infiltrate thinking that they will not get detected. But the alert troops not only detected them but eliminated them in one of the fierce encounters," Army sources said.
This group is bigger than what Army had thought initially, said the Army sources. Yesterday after firing stopped the security forces thought the encounter was over.
Meanwhile, Army personnel have arrested a Pakistani militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba after he had infiltrated into Kupwara district.
Nisar Ahmad was arrested when he had infiltrated through Trehgam sector, officials said today.
Ahmad was presented before the media today along with arms and ammunition recovered from his possession at the time of the arrest.
The militant said he was a drug addict and had been "sold" by his brother to LeT for taking part in militant activities |
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment