Civilian Killed with Militants in Combing Operation in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: A civilian was killed along with three suspected militants who attacked an Indian Army base camp in north Kashmir's frontier district of Kupwara in wee hours of Wednesday.

The attack comes close on the heels of a massive combing operation in Kupwara's Manigah area since November 13 gunfight where an Army Colonel was killed by militants.

A senior Army officer said a group of militants stormed the Army base at the Kalsuri ridge near Line of Control in Tangdhar region at around6:30 am and fired bullets and grenades using UBGLs.

During the initial exchange of fire, an Army jawan and a civilian suffered injuries. "The exchange of gunfire also sparked a blaze in an oil depot inside the camp, resulting in damage to some vehicles," NN Joshi, Srinagar-based defence spokesperson told The Citizen.

Joshi said a team of Army commandos was air-dropped in the area to take out the militants, some of whom had positioned themselves along a ridge, giving them an advantage over the forces trapped in the base.

"Three terrorists have been killed and a combing operation is underway. There are fears of more militants in the area," Joshi said, refusing to divulge more details about the operation.

The identity of the civilian and the Army jawan killed during the siege has not been confirmed so far.

Joshi said the bodies of the three militants have been recovered from the area along with a cache of arms and ammunition. The identity of the militants has not been ascertained so far, Joshi said.

Meanwhile, militant outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad claimed responsibility of the Tangdhar attack, saying three militants from the outfit stormed into the Army camp shortly after Fajar prayers.

A spokesperson of the outfit Muhammad Hasan Shah told a Srinagar based news agency that militants managed to inflict heavy damage on the Indian forces. "Three militants have taken position in the army base and are targeting Indian troopers from right, left and centre," Shah said.