Army kills 6 militants, foils 5th infiltration bid in 3 days
9 Jun 2017 5:50 PM GMT
The Army on Friday killed six militants near the Line of Control (LoC) as it foiled fifth infiltration bid from Pakistan into Kashmir in three days, raising to 12 the total number of infiltrators gunned down during this period.
The six militants were killed in Uri sector during a counter-infiltration operation launched on Friday after the troops detected movement of ultras trying to sneak into the valley, an Army official said.
With this operation, the total number of infiltrating militants killed over the last three days in various sectors has gone up to 12.
A defence spokesman had on Thursday said that multiple attempts made by Pakistan Army to push armed infiltrators across the LoC were foiled by the troops at Machhil and Naugam sectors in Kupwara district, Gurez in Bandipora district and Uri in Baramulla, resulting in the killing of seven militants.
All the four infiltration bids were aided by the Pakistani forces who provided active support, including cover fire using heavy calibre artillery, the Army's Northern Command had said in a statement on Thursday.
According to the Army, it has successfully foiled seven infiltration attempts in less than a fortnight in north Kashmir. Three of the attempts were scuttled in Uri sector alone.
On May 26, Army killed two Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) members who tried to infiltrate into Uri sector in Baramulla district to carry out an attack on the soldiers.
Six more militants were killed in the same sector next day when they attempted to sneak into the valley from across the border.
In the current year, Army foiled 23 infiltration attempts killing 39 armed intruders along the LoC.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre reviewed the prevailing security situation in Kashmir during a two-day visit to the valley, a defence spokesman said on Friday. He said the minister was briefed by Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen J S Sandhu on the overall security situation in the valley.
Bhamre was also briefed on the close coordination amongst all government agencies to bring back normalcy in the region.
During his visit which concluded today, Bhamre, along with Lt Gen Sandhu, visited forward areas along the Line of Control as well as the hinterland where he interacted with soldiers, the spokesman said.
He said the minister appreciated the various measures taken to strengthen security and the good job being done by all the security forces.
Clashes in parts of Kashmir during strike
Clashes between stone-pelters and security forces were reported from a number of places in Kashmir where normal life was disrupted due to a strike called by the separatists and restrictions imposed by the government.
The separatists had given a call for the strike and peaceful protests against the killing of a youth during a clash between stone-pelters and security personnel in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Tuesday.
The strike and the protests had been called also against recent raids by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the Valley. Schools and colleges were closed across Kashmir as were business establishments and shops in many places, officials said. Authorities imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar and in Shopian town to maintain law and order.
Even the Friday prayer was not allowed at the Jamia Masjid where the Mirwaiz of Kashmir and moderate Hurriyat Chairman Umar Farooq delivers the weekly sermons.
The area around the Jamia Masjid was sealed by the authorities in view of the call for protests by the separatists, the officials said.
Mirwaiz was placed under house arrest at his Nigeen residence here last evening.
Despite the restrictions, clashes took place in Sarai Bala and Soura areas of Srinagar district, Hajin in Bandipora district, Anantnag and Pulwama townships in south Kashmir and Sopore town of north Kashmir after Friday prayers, the officials said. There was no report of any casualty, they said.
In Sarai Bala, the clash between stone-pelters and security forces took place after JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik was detained when he tried to lead a protest march against the killing of Adil Farooq Magray.
Malik was taken into custody by the police soon after he came out of a shrine after Friday prayers, officials said.
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