Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Dec 17: At least one militant was killed after Army had a brief gun battle with a group of militants in Lolab forests of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district this evening.
Sources said that acting on specific information Army’s 18, 28 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police cordoned off the upper belt of the Affan forest area Mehandiwali Behak, Lalpora in Lolab Kuwpara this evening.
The militants fired on an Army party leading to an encounter in which one militant was injured. Sources said that the militants fled after the brief encounter and the security forces cordoned off the area and during searches recovered body of a militant.
Sources said that the militant was injured in the gun fight and fled with his colleagues but later succumbed to his injuries. One AK-47 rifle, three AK magazines, five hand grenades and one night vision device were recovered from him.
Sources said that the militant belonged to Jaish-e-Mohammad militant outfit and no document was recovered from his possession.
Sources said that it was a group of at least 3-4 militants that fired on the troops and fled after a brief encounter.
Security forces for the past several weeks are after a group of 15-20 militants mostly belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba who have infiltrated through Macchil sector of LoC from PoK this year.
These militants are in the forests and security forces conducted several operations against them but today security forces had a brief encounter with the group in which one militant was killed.
Sources said that the security forces will conduct more searches of the forests for the rest of the militants in the morning. Sources said that there has been rise in the level of infiltration this year as compared to last year.
Army apprehends more infiltration bids of militants from across the Line of Control (LoC) into Kashmir during winter months.
A senior officer said here that activities on the launch pads across the LoC has increased for past one month which indicates that they will attempt infiltration during the winter. However, the officer said that Army is fully geared up for any challenge during the winters.
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