Two terrorists killed, army foils infiltration bid in J&K�s Kupwara

Srinagar, Oct 5 (IANS) Two terrorists were killed on Saturday as the alert troops of the army foiled an infiltration bid at the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu & Kashmir’s Kupwara district.Officials said that two unidentified terrorists were killed by the army in the Gugaldhar area of Kupwara district when an infiltration bid from across the LoC was foiled by them.Srinagar headquartered 15 Corps of the army posted on its X: “Two terrorists have been eliminated by the security forces in the ongoing Operation GUGALDHAR. War-like stores have been recovered. Search of the area is underway and Operation is in progress.”

Anti-terrorism and anti-infiltration operations in the hinterland and along the LoC were increased to ensure the smooth conduct of the legislative Assembly elections in J&K.Lt General Rajiv Ghai, GOC of 15 Corps told reporters two days back that in order to sustain the prevailing peace in Kashmir Valley, there can be no reduction in anti-terrorism and anti-infiltration related deployed of the security forces.

Two army soldiers, a Havaldar and a Naik were injured on Friday in a landmine explosion when they were on patrol duty along the LoC in Kupwara.It must be mentioned that terrorists, believed to be hardcore foreign mercenaries, have carried out hit-and-run attacks against the army, local police and civilians in the hilly districts of Doda, Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi of Jammu division during the last three to four months.

After carrying out ambushes against the army and others in the hilly areas, the terrorists would escape into the densely foliaged and forested areas in the vicinity.To thwart the tactics of the terrorists, over 4,000 soldiers drawn from the elite Para Commandos and those trained in mountain warfare were deployed in the mountain tops and densely forested areas of the Jammu division. After this revised strategy by the security forces, terrorist attacks in these districts have drastically come down.

With their ubiquitous presence in these areas, the security forces have been able to establish contact (engage terrorists in gunfights) in these areas.Five terrorists have been killed so far after the security forces revisited their strategy to meet the challenge posed by the foreign mercenaries.