SRINAGAR: The Army says a two-week long operation against infiltrating militants along the Line of Control in Kashmir valley has been called off.
It says eight militants have been killed while five soldiers have been wounded in the gunfight in Keran sector of Kupwara district.
The Army has denied that the infiltrators have occupied any posts or area in the Indian territory and insisted on calling it an infiltration bid “very desperate, at multiple points.”
“This is false…it was an area across the control line where they tried to come in,” said General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Command, Lt General Sanjeev Chachra in Srinagar.
“In the initial 4-5 multiple point bids, there were 30-40 infiltrators that had come in, they were foiled, some of them have fallen, we have seen them.”
“59 weapons, 18 of them AK 47 rifles…warlike stores of ammunition…signal equipment, night vision devices and ration for 20-30 days were recovered from the slain militants.”
The GOC said the last round of firing occurred four or five days ago and “we are aware that the area is cleaned up.”
But Lt Gen Chachra said the “strengthened” deployment of the soldiers in the area will continue. “Our counter infiltration deployment is strengthened…we are now launching operations based on intelligence and surveillance to meet up challenges there…,” he said.
The senior army officer also said the army has intelligence reports about infiltration plans at other areas of the Line of Control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
“Infiltration bids will continue as long as winter doesn’t set in, this is the only time they can do it,” he said.
“But we are prepared (to foil them),” he added.
