Encounter At 10,000 Feet: 2 Army Soldiers, Civilian Killed In Gunfight With Terrorists in J&K's Anantnag

Two soldiers and a civilian were killed while five others were injured in a fierce gunfight with militants in the upper reaches of Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir. According to a Srinagar-based defence spokesperson terrorists who were active in Doda in July have managed to sneak across the Kishtwar range into the Kapran-Garol area in south Kashmir. The area is at an altitude of above 10,000 feet, and the terrain poses a serious challenge to operations, the spokesperson said.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday said that the operation with militants is going on in Kokernag forests in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district even as the police are investigating the role of civilians, who were injured and later one of them succumbed, around the encounter site.

Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone Vidhi Kumar Birdhi said that two Army soldiers and one civilian were killed in the ongoing operation with militants in Ahlan, Gadole area of Kokernag forests.

"Two Army jawans attained martyrdom while one is under treatment and his condition is stable. Two civilians were also injured among them one succumbed while the second injured civilian is under treatment," Birdhi told reporters in Kokernag near the gunfight site.

The IGP said that the security forces received input about the movement of the militants in the Kokernag area and they launched a search operation during which the exchange of fire ensued.

On Saturday, when the encounter began and the Army suffered casualties the Defense spokesperson said that it had been earlier confirmed through human and electronic means on 05 August 2024 that terrorists responsible for atrocities and incidents in the Doda region in the month of July 24, had sneaked across the Kishtwar range into the Kapran Garol area in South Kashmir.

The IGP said that the initial input suggests a group of three-four militants in the cordon area and these militants might have sneaked in from Doda as the forest area comes in the same range of the mountains. The IGP said that despite rainfall and unfavourable weather the security forces are relentlessly searching the area to neutralise the militants who are under the cordon.

"The role of the civilians, who were injured around the encounter site is being investigated as to how they were in the same area where militants were hiding. We will share the details after the investigation is complete," he said.

This area where the encounter is going on is in the same range of forests where a fierce encounter took place last year in September where a young Dy SP of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Muzamil and an Army major and a commanding officer were killed during the encounter with militants. A militant was also killed in that gunfight.

Security forces say that militants have shifted base from Kashmir and taken shelter in the forest ranges of the Jammu region particularly in Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Kathua after a major crackdown was launched in the Kashmir valley against militants, their OGWs following the abrogation of Article 370.

Compared to the Kashmir valley, the Army has suffered many casualties in the Jammu region after militants ambushed and attacked the forces in the division. 50 soldiers were killed in 2021 among which 11 have been killed in this year thus far. Nine pilgrims were killed in the Reasi district when a bus was ambushed.

Read More