Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, July 22: Three militants were killed and an Army jawan was injured in a fierce gun battle at Eagle post in Tanghdar sector of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district today.
Sources said that Army noticed the movement of at least 4 heavily armed militants near Eagle post in Tanghdar sector this afternoon.
Army challenged these militants but they fired back leading to a fierce gun battle which is still continuing. Sources said that three militants were killed and one soldier was also injured in the encounter so far. However, Army didn’t confirm any casualties as no bodies have been recovered so far. But sources said that since the terrain is tough so Army doesn’t want to rush as militants could be hiding in bushes and behind the boulders and can inflict casualties on the Army.
The area is at an altitude of over 12000 feet and has huge boulders and bushes that give natural cover to the militants in the area and provide them hideouts. The weather was foggy when the operation was launched and encounter is still going on.
Sources said that the number of militants could be more and the picture will be clear only when operation ends. They said that these militants had managed to cross the LoC fence which is down in the gorge and were on their way out form the Tanghdar towards the Nowgam forests.
Sources said that Army’s 26 Rajput was initially involved in the operation and they were later joined by the elite 4-Para.
The area where the gun battle is on is favorite routes for the infiltrators as the big boulders and the bushes give them natural cover. Besides this the weather in the area is mostly freak and foggy which makes army’s task more difficult.
Army on July 12 killed three militants in Keran sector of North Kashmir. On that day, Army noticed movement of at least six militants crossing the LoC at Gail Gali post and challenged them. Three of them were shot dead and the others managed to escape towards Pakistan under the cover of darkness.
This is the eighth infiltration bid that was foiled this year by Army along LoC in Kashmir in which 18 infiltrators were killed. Army also lost three men in its fight against the infiltrators on the LoC this year.
Last year, Army killed 59 militants along the LoC, which is highest so far in past over a decade.
Army says over 200 heavily armed militants are waiting across the LoC for infiltration and Army has stepped up vigil so as to prevent them from infiltrating.
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