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Three militants killed as Army foils infiltration bid in Gurez along LoC

Last Updated 27 July 2017, 14:26 IST
Three unidentified militants were killed along the Line of Control (LoC) in Gurez sector of north Kashmir's Bandipora district on Thursday as army foiled yet another infiltration bid.

Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said that an infiltration bid was foiled in Gurez sector in which three militant were killed. “The search operation in the area is in progress," he said.

Sources said on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, Army’s 13 Sikh regiments guarding the LoC near Bagtore area of Gurez noticed the movement of five to six heavily armed militants, who were trying to infiltrate into Indian territory under the cover of darkness.

“As the troops challenged the infiltrators, they opened fire and tried to hide in nearby forests. The army tightened the cordon around the area and in the morning a massive search operation was launched and contact was established with the hiding militants," they said and added that three unidentified militants have been killed in the encounter so far.

Sources said the operation is still underway as additional reinforcement from other army units have been rushed to the area and vast forest area has been cordoned off.

A senior army officer said the deployment of additional troops on the LoC along the traditional infiltration routes in north Kashmir’s Baramulla and Kupwara districts this year has forced the militants to infiltrate from new routes.

“With additional troops, the army have placed ambush parties at new locations and places which militants and their guides don't know till they are trapped. It has helped in bringing down infiltration levels," the officer said and added that Pakistan is now trying to push the militants through the Gurez area which is jointly guarded by army and the Border Security Force (BSF).

Last week two militants were killed in the same sector while trying to infiltrate into Indian territory. “In the coming weeks we expect more infiltration attempts by the militants from Gurez route and troops are ready to tackle the challenge,” the officer said.

Gurez, which is more than 200 km north of Srinagar, shares a long LoC with Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).
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(Published 27 July 2017, 06:26 IST)

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