Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Nov 12: A soldier was killed and 9 others were injured in Keran sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of North Kashmir today as Pakistan violated ceasefire.
A Defence spokesman said here that Pakistani troops violated ceasefire in Keran sector of Kupwara killing one Army personnel.
Sources said that the latest round of LoC firing in Keran sector started yesterday at 3 p.m. and is continuing intermittently. Two soldiers were injured in Pakistani firing and two residential houses were also damaged yesterday.
One soldier Gunman Harsih Batoriya of 185-artillery regiment succumbed to injuries last night and another Gunman Mankamla who was injured has been evacuated and is undergoing treatment.
Sources said that Pakistani troops continued the firing at Indian forward posts today in which seven soldiers were injured. They have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Sandeep Kumar of 185-artillery regiment, S Boleria of 15 Rastriya Rifles (RR), Arif Khan of 22-Grenadiers, Tayyib Obaid of 22-Grenadiers, Sepoy Laga Nathan of 93- Field Regiment and Ashok Kumar.
The Keran and Macchil sectors of the LoC are hot since the surgical strikes by Army in September this year after Fidayeen attack on Army’s Brigade headquarters in Uri in which 20 soldiers were killed.
The firing in two sectors is going on since last month intermittently after beheading of a soldier in Macchil sector. Another soldier was killed in sniping by Pakistani Special Services Group in Macchil sector on November 9.
Sources said that Army also targeted the Pakistani posts in Keran and Macchil sectors over last one month destroying their several bunkers and inflicting heavy casualty to Pakistani troops.
Sources said that under heavy shelling Pakistani troops are giving cover to the militants to infiltrate into Kashmir ahead of snowfall. They said that over 200 highly trained militants are waiting on the launch pads for infiltration.
This year security forces achieved major success against militants and killed 134 of them so far while last year 97 were killed. Majority of these militants were killed along the LoC in North Kashmir.
In the meantime, Army and police last night cordoned off Shaldag forest area in Nowshera Boniyar at Uri in Baramulla district after they received information about presence of militants. However, no militant was found during searches.
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