Fayaz Bukhari
SRINGAR, July 31: Army has launched a massive operation in Keran sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district after they noticed movement of a group of at least four militants and has so far shot dead two of them in a fierce gun battle that broke out this evening.
A senior Army officer said that Army launched a massive search operation last night after they observed movement of a group of militants near the LoC in Keran sector of district Kupwara. He said that 7 Garhwal, 222 Field Regiment and 15 Rashtriya Rifles of Army who started operation in the dense woods, established contact with the militants this evening at around 5:30 p.m.
The militants who are trapped between LoC fence and Shamsabari mountain range opened fire on troops leading to a fierce gun battle. The officer said that two militants are believed to be dead while search for the other two is going on.
The officer said that it is not yet clear whether the group had infiltrated from PoK or had gone to the LoC to receive a fresh militant group. He said that it will be clear once the bodies and the belongings of the dead militants are recovered.
The officer said that this is the seventh infiltration attempt by militants during past 10 days and all of them were foiled. He said that militants are desperate for infiltration and will intensify their efforts to infiltrate in August.
And in the meantime, Pakistan troops violated ceasefire in Mushkoo Valley in Kargil along the LoC since morning by firing on Indian posts in the sector. An Army officer said that the Pakistan troops of Gultari Battalion posted in the sector targeted the posts held by 16 Assam Rifles since morning.
The officer said that Indian troops also retaliated and the mortar and heavy machine gun firing was going on till 3:30 p.m. He, however, said that there are no reports of loss of life or injury from either side.
This is for the first time Pakistani troops violated ceasefire in Kargil since last year in August. The Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire in Kaksar sector of Kargil last year on August 18 by firing mortars and with heavy machine guns. Prior to this there was ceasefire violation on August 11 and 12 last year when Pakistani troops fired in Kargil and Drass on Indian Army posts.
The last year’s ceasefire violation in Kargil and Drass sectors took place for the first time in 14 years since the Kargil war of 1999.
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