Lesser-known militant outfit claims responsibility for strikes

 A lesser-known militant outfit 'Shohada Brigade' today claimed responsibility for the twin attacks in Jammu region which left eight persons, including a Lt Colonel of the army, dead.

"We carried the attacks in Kathua and Samba in Jammu region and our mujhahideen are still fighting there," a person who identified himself as Sami-ul-Haq, the spokesperson of the outfit, told PTI on phone.

Haq said the militants were three in number and were all locals.

"We have lost communication with one of the militants, but we are in touch with the other two who are inside the army camp. All the three are locals," he claimed.

Four policemen were among the five killed in the audacious 'fidayeen'(suicide) attack on the Hiranagar police station in Kathua, while three army personnel including Lt Col Bikramjeet Singh died in a similar strike shortly afterwards on the army camp at nearby Samba.