2 Civilians Also Wounded, Army Says Their Terror Antecedents Being Verified
Srinagar: Two Army soldiers died while four others were injured during a fierce gunfight with militants in a forest in Anantnag district of South Kashmir on Saturday, officials said.
The gunfight occurred during a cordon and search operation that was initiated by the security forces based on intelligence reports indicating the presence of terrorists in the remote Ahlan Gagarmandu forest.
Two civilians were also injured in the crossfire, officials said.
According to them, the skirmish began when a group of terrorists opened fire at the joint search parties comprising Army troopers, including para commandos, and local police.
In the ensuing gun battle, six Army personnel and two civilians were injured, officials said, adding the injured soldiers were promptly taken to a nearby hospital where two died shortly after arrival.
The remaining injured personnel and civilians are receiving medical attention, they said.
Reinforcements have been deployed in the area and operations to locate and neutralise the fleeing terrorists are underway, the latest officials said.
“It had been earlier confirmed through Human and Electronic means on 05 August 2024 terrorists responsible for atrocities and incidents in the Doda region in the month of July 24, had sneaked across the Kishtwar range into the KapranGarol area in South Kashmir,” reads a statement by army.
Rashtriya Rifles and J&K Police, it said, have ever since relentlessly tracked these terrorists and precise operations were launched on the night of August 9 and 10 in the area East of Kapran, in the mountains, where these terrorists were reportedly holed up.
“Suspicious movement was observed at approximately 1400 hours on 10 August, on challenging, was immediately responded to by indiscriminate, desperate and reckless firing from terrorists in which two Army personnel and two civilians, in the vicinity were injured,” the army said, adding, “The terror antecedents of the injured civilians are being ascertained. The area is above 10000 feet in high altitude, has thick under growth, large boulders, Nallahs and re-entrants that poses a serious challenge to operations.”
It said security forces are moving deliberately and are in the process of hunting down the terrorists. “Operations will progress through the night.”
This encounter is a grim reminder of a similar operation in the general area of Kokernag last September, during which four security personnel, including Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish and Deputy SP Humayun Bhat were killed in the week-long engagement with terrorists.
Two terrorists, including a senior commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), were also neutralised during that operation.
Security forces have ramped up their efforts in the woods of Kokernag after an encounter in Doda district on July 15 that resulted in the deaths of four soldiers, including a captain.
It is believed that the terrorists involved in the recent Anantnag incident may have crossed over from Kishtwar district after escaping the confrontation in Doda.