J&K: 3 infiltrating militants killed in fire fight with Army along LoC

Srinagar: Three militants were killed in a fire fight with the Army in Machael sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Wednesday.

The Army officials in Srinagar said that the trio were part of a heavily armed group of infiltrators which had sneaked into Jammu and Kashmir from PoK overnight but were confronted by Army troops deployed in the frontier region.

The soldiers from the Army 56 Rashtriya Rifles engaged the militants during a cordon-and-search operation launched in Sardari Nad forest area of Macheal after they learnt about the infiltration. “The terrorists hiding in the woods opened fire, triggering an encounter which is still underway. One terrorist has died, so far," said a defence spokesman here. Latest reports from the area said that two more militants have been killed in the encounter raising the toll to three.

Confirming this, the Army sources in Srinagar said, “Soon after the terrorists sneaked into Macheal sector they were engaged by own troops and foiled their attempt to escape taking advantage of thick forest cover. Three terrorists have been gunned down and three weapons recovered during the operation which is still on.” The sources said that the identity of the slain men is being ascertained.

The Army also said that this was the third infiltration bid foiled by it along the LoC in Kupwara-Baramulla-Bandipora belt of the Kashmir Valley. On May 26, the Army had claimed killing two members of Pakistan Army’s Border Action Team (BAT) in Baramulla’s Uri sector whereas six militants were gunned down in the same sector a day later.