Bodies of two missing soldiers retrieved after 48 hours in J&K’s Poonch

Army casualties during the ongoing anti-militancy operation rose to nine

The death toll of the army in ongoing anti-militancy operation in border Poonch district of Jammu region rose to nine after the bodies of the two soldiers, who went missing during a fierce gun battle with terrorists on Thursday evening, were retrieved on Saturday.

This is the highest casualties to the army in a single encounter in recent times in Jammu and Kashmir. The bodies of Subedar Ajay Singh and Naik Harendra Singh were recovered 48 hours after the Army launched a major combing operation in the dense forest area of Nar Khas forest in Mendhar, Poonch.

The duo was part of search operations launched by the security forces to flush out militants hiding in the forest area. “On October 14, 2021, after a fierce firefight with terrorists, the communication with Subedar Ajay Singh and Naik Harendra Singh was disrupted,” a defence spokesperson said.

Read: Two non-local workers shot dead by militants in Srinagar

“Relentless operations continued to neutralise the terrorists and to re-establish communication with the soldiers. They were killed in action in the fight and their bodies have been recovered in the evening of October 16. The operations in the area are continuing,” he added.

Earlier on October 14, rifleman Yogambar Singh and rifleman Vikram Singh Negi were killed in the encounter that erupted in Poonch-Rajouri forests, four days after five army personnel were killed in action in the same area.

Sources said as the area, where the operation is going on for the last six days, is tough in terrain and densely forested, the soldiers are moving swiftly to zero in on the hiding militants.

“The heavily armed and battle-hardened militants, mostly believed to be Pakistanis, are hiding in dense woods. It will take the army some more days to neutralise them,” they said.

Reinforcements have already been rushed to the area and as the Army is engaged in one of the longest counter terrorist operations in J&K. The Poonch-Jammu highway has been closed since Thursday evening as a safety measure.

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