Soldiers look on from their position by a road overlooking Army barracks after an attack by militants on the camp in Uri. (Agence France-Presse)
In four terror attacks in Kashmir, where elections are being held in five phases, 13 people have been killed today. Sources said a major strike was averted with the killing of two terrorists in Srinagar ahead of PM Modi's rally in the city on Monday.
Here are the latest developments to this story
"Attacks in J&K are condemnable...desperate attempts to derail atmosphere of hope... as seen by increased voter turnout," PM Modi tweeted on Friday evening.
Sources in the Prime Minister's Office said on Friday evening that there is no change as of now in Mr Modi's campaign plan.
Two terrorist attacks today in Uri and Shoura in Srinagar, about 100 km apart, were synchronised strikes, sources said. They said in both attacks the terrorists wore black.
In Uri, terrorists made a suicide attack on an army artillery camp, killing eight soldiers, including an officer. Six terrorists were also killed in a fierce gun battle. In Srinagar, two terrorists intercepted at a police post opened fire. Both were killed. Sources said a major strike was averted with the killing of the two terrorists ahead of PM's rally in the city.
In Shopian near Srinagar, terrorists lobbed grenades into a police station. In a fourth attack, terrorists hurled a grenade in a bus stop in Tral in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, killing one civilian and injuring 13 others.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh blamed Pakistan for sheltering terrorists who cross the border to target India. "I think Pak should try to stop these incidents, if they can't they should speak to India about it," he said.
Both Uri and Tral vote in the third phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday next. Assembly segments in Srinagar will vote in the fourth phase on December 14. Results will be announced on December 23.
Jammu and Kashmir registered a record voter turnout of nearly 72 per cent in the first two phases of polling. For the first time in 25 years, people defied boycott calls by separatists and a cold winter to queue up to vote.
Terrorists have stepped up attacks after a lull of months. Soldiers killed six terrorists earlier this week in Kupwara as they crossed over from Pakistan, which the army said was part of a push to disrupt the vote.
PM Modi has addressed three election campaign rallies already in Jammu and Kashmir - in Kishtwar, Udhampur and Poonch - as the BJP maked its most serious bid yet to win power for the first time in the state. It had won three of the state's six seats in the national elections earlier this year.
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