Srinagar, May 27: The militants killed in Tanghdar sector of Kupwara district in north Kashmir were armed with modern weaponry and equipment, army said on Sunday

Addressing a press conference, Brigadier PK Mishra, Commander Tanghdar Brigade also claimed that many militants were waiting on launching pads to infiltrate into this side of Kashmir.

“As you already know, that an anti-militancy operation was going on from the last couple of days in Tanghdar sector in which 5 militants have been eliminated,” Mishra said, adding, “We had credible  intelligence inputs that there is likely to be an infiltration in the sector because of which we had placed number of interception groups to trap these militants,” Mishra said.

On the night of 25 and 26th May, Mishra said these militants walked into this side where the ambush was placed and they were challenged. “The militants opened a heavy volume of fire and the militants were engaged by the troops at that point of time,” Mishra said.

The infiltrators tried to break the cordon and the vigilant troops and the commanders on the ground did not permit them to do so, he said.

Later, there was again a fierce gunfight at two locations, the militants had split into two groups and over the next few hours in the early morning of 26th May five militants were eliminated, he said.

“The troops on the ground have succeeded in foiling the infiltration bid of a group of militants which were very heavily armed. They had modern weaponry, modern equipment. They were carrying under barrel grenade launchers and we succeeded in eliminating them without any casualties to our troops which is indeed credible,” he said.

He also claimed recovery of huge quantity of arms, ammunition, food items and other equipment from the possession of the slain militants.

The recovery, Mishra said, include five 7.62 mm AK-47 rifles, one pistol with magazine, eight rounds, carts 7.62 mm AK-47 (546), one UBGL, six grenade UBGL, nine hand grenades and other equipment including medicine and food items.

“The recoveries are indicative of actively aiding and abetting of this kind of a movement by Pakistan because you see a lot of food items equipment with Pakistan markings on them,” Mishra said.

“As far as identification is concerned, we have not been able to identify them, these are obliviously foreign militants and their identity would be established by police and other agencies. However, the recoveries and other material carried by them, it seems the group belonged to the Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit,” the officer said.

“Notwithstanding, I would also like to highlight that the movement of the infiltrating column was also detected from very close to the Pakistani force across the line of control,” Mishra said.

Asked about Ramadan ceasefire, Mishra said: “We are exercising utmost restraint. As far as ceasefire which has been promulgated by the government notwithstanding that I would just like to comment that “Action speaks louder than words”. And while we are respecting what has been promulgated, Pakistan obviously does not intend to do so. We had the infiltration bid over the last couple of days”.

Mishra said that Intelligence inputs do suggest that there are a number of groups from across the border on launching pads which are waiting to infiltrate into our area.

“We expect that there will be more such bids in the future”.

He said that the troops are vigilant along LoC and “We will foil any such bid or any such attempt our troops are ready to negate any such attempt,” Mishra added. (GNS)

All slain militants buried in Badwan

Srinagar, May 18: Five militants killed in Tangdar sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district were buried midnight, official sources said on Sunday.

They told GNS that army handed over the bodies to local police and the former conducted all medico-legal formalities. Later police handed over the bodies to locals of Badwan, a small hamlet in Tanghdar sector, for last rites.

People offered funeral prayers and buried them at Badwan area- which is close to forests during the intervening night of May 26/ 27 at around2:30 am, the sources said.

The encounter broke out after the soldiers of 20 JAT intercepted a group of infiltrators near eagle post on May 25. (GNS)