2 militants killed in Valley gunfight
ONGOING OPERATION Killing comes day after the Centre ordered resumption of military operations in Kashmir region
Two militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in the forests of Bandipora in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, a day after the Centre ordered resumption of military operations in the Valley after a month’s pause.
The gun battle in Panar forests in northern Kashmir has been on since June 14, when a soldier and two militants were killed, the army said.
“Two more terrorists killed in an ongoing operation today. Earlier two terrorists had been killed on 14 June. Total four terrorists killed so far. Operation still continues,” an army spokesman said on Monday.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh had on Sunday revoked the unilateral ceasefire called during the holy month of Ramzan, blaming “violence and killings” by “terrorists” for the decision.
A few hours later, a 45-yearold man was gunned down by unidentified men at his home in Bandipora
Jammu and Kashmir Punjab
Himachal Pradesh south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
The month-long truce in the Valley saw a spike in violence that left 41 people, 24 of them militants, dead. A record 20 grenade attacks and 50 militant strikes were also reported.
The first signs of trouble in the Panar forest came on June 9 when an army patrol was fired at. The search operation was launched after police were tipped off that a militant group had sneaked into Bandipora through Baktoor in the Gurez sector after crossing the Line of Control.
Two days later, there was a brief exchange of fire between militants and security forces and the area was cordoned off. On June 14, the gun battle started.
The army has not said anything about the infiltration bid through Gurez, which is linked to Panar. Dense forests of Gurez were the favoured route of militants in early 1990s but an increase in the army presence had kept them away for many years.
During the day, security forces carried out sanitisation operations in different parts of the Valley, including Srinagar. The security situation remains a concern. The annual Amarnath Yatra begins on June 28 and the Centre would not want a repeat of the last year when eight people were gunned downed by terrorists who targeted a bus carrying pilgrims.
The surge in violence in the second half of the Ramazan month was also the reason the government called off the peace initiative, which was ignored by militants, official said.
SRINAGAR: