Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, May 3: The operation against the Lashkar-e-Toiba militants in Handwara forests continued for second consecutive day today and so far one dead body of a militant has been recovered from the forest hideout that caught fire last evening during an encounter.
While giving details, Commander 7-sector Rashtriya Rifles of Kilo Force of Army, Brigadier A Arun told Excelsior that early in the morning the search operation was started in the forests where encounter took place last evening. He said that one dead body of a militant and an AK 47 rifle was recovered from the hideout.
Arun said that as per the size of the hideout and the stores, it looked that there were 3 or more militants in the hideout. He said that operation in the forests continued for the rest of the militants who opened fire on the security forces last evening.
The Brigadier said that it is not known whether the group was fresh or old one. He said it is not known to which organization these militants belonged as all the belongings of the militants were damaged in the fire.
The Commander said that when snow starts melting, the militant movement increases and infiltration also becomes possible with the opening of mountain passes along the Line of Control (LoC).
Arun said that the operation will continue in the forests against these militants who were hiding in the forest hideout.
Sources that the security forces had input about the presence of three militants, in the forest hideout and 6 RR, 9 PARA and SOG Handwara launched the operation. They said that 21 RR is in outer cordon so that militants may not fled from the area.
Yesterday security forces launched an operation in Gatyali behak in Rajwar forest area of Handwara in the frontier district of Kupwara after a tip of about presence of militants in the forests.
Security forces established contact with militants last evening. Militants fired on the security forces resulting in an encounter during which the security forces bombed the hideout. The militants were believed to be receiving party of infiltrated militants.
Last year security forces killed Divisional Commander of LeT Abu Hanzala in these forests. Hanzala had made these forests permanent base for past few years and was responsible for infiltrating militants into Kashmir valley. He was providing them money and other logistic support.
The infiltration attempts by militants in this sector received a major jolt after the killing of Hanzala but of late the LeT had tasked this group of receiving the infiltrated militants.
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