JOIN USAtleast three militants have been killed in an ongoing encounter between infiltrators and Army along the Line of Control (LoC) in Tangdhar sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, which began on Sunday morning.
A defence spokesman, on Sunday evening confirmed the deaths as well as the recovery of three weapons. However, the slain militants were not identified. Sources said group of five to six heavily armed militants, who had crossed over to the Indian territory, were spotted by troops at around 4:30 am.
“The militants fired at the troops after they were challenged and there was a heavy exchange of fire from both the sides,” they said and added militants took shelter inside two residential houses which are located just 200 yards away from the Brigade Headquarters of the army in the area.
An army official said the whole area has been sealed and army along with extra contingent of force conducted fresh searches in the area.
“Army has placed its troops on high alert along the LoC and high level of preparedness has helped prevent infiltration attempts,” he said and added intermittent firing between infiltrators and army was going on till late in the evening,” the official added.
This was the second infiltration bid by militants in Tangdhar sector within a week. Earlier on May 25, three soldiers and a militant were killed in a failed infiltration bid by militants. Sources said the Army was anticipating more such infiltration attempts by the militants in the coming weeks.