SRINAGAR: Massive search operations continued in the dense woods near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir, where alert troops have foiled three major infiltration bids from the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and killed seven militants during the past three days.
A soldier has also lost his life and two others have been injured in the encounters, official sources said. With the first light this morning, troops resumed search operation in the woods at Naugam and Machil sectors in Kupwara and Uri in Baramulla districts of north Kashmir, they said.
Four infiltrators were killed in Machil sector in the encounter, which ensued on June 6, while three others were gunned down in Naugam sector, where one soldier also lost his life yesterday.
In Uri sector, troops repulsed an infiltration attempt. However, two soldiers were injured in the exchange of fire before the militants fled back into the PoK yesterday. To avoid any own casualty, searches were being stopped during the night only to resume in the morning, they said.
However, entire forest area remained under cordon to foil any attempt by militants to escape.
Large number of militants are waiting in launch pads near LoC to sneak into this side this summer. However, security forces area already on high alert to foil any infiltration attempt.
According to reports, 22 infiltration attempts from PoK were foiled this year so far, during which 34 militants were killed on the LoC. However last year, there were 88 infiltration attempts, while it was just 28 attempts in 2015. A total of 59 soldiers have lost their lives in counter-militancy operations in J&K, since 2016. (AGENCIES)
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