Srinagar:
The Indian Army, which has been engaged in an encounter in the Keran sector in Jammu and Kashmir, has said that most of the 30 terrorists who tried to cross over from Pakistan have been killed and the operation is almost over. Four terrorists were reportedly killed this morning.
Yesterday, Army Chief Bikram Singh said there was no 'Kargil-like situation' in Jammu and Kashmir. His comments came as two terrorists were reportedly killed during another infiltration bid at Guguldhar area near the Keran sector where Indian troops have engaged in an encounter since September 24.
The encounter was on even as the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan met in New York and agreed to deescalate tension on the border as a priority. They decided that the Director Generals of Military Operations on both sides would interact regularly to ensure this, but no such conversation has happened since the PMs met on Sunday, September 29.
Sources in the Army said they were likely to talk next Tuesday.
There has been concern that the current infiltration attempt might lead to a situation similar to 1999, when India and Pakistan engaged in an armed conflict after Pakistanis occupied key posts in Kargil. Especially after reports suggested that at least a dozen terrorists may have dug into abandoned houses in the village of Shala-Batu in Keran, which is 100 km from Srinagar, to fire at Indian soldiers.
But the Army Chief denied this. "It is nothing like that. We are dominating from all sides and the terrorists are holed up. The terrain is very, very difficult, treacherous and they are stuck in that. We will get them out, it's a question of time," General Singh said on Friday.
Early this morning, four terrorists were reportedly killed at Fatehgali in the Keran sector, 25 km west of the village of Shala-Batu, and large quantity of arms and ammunition recovered. The Army says the area where the operation is going on is in difficult terrain, the altitude varies between 9,000-10,000 feet making it difficult for the jawans to retrieve the bodies of the killed infiltrators.
Though Pakistan has denied any role in the infiltration bid, the Army says the Pakistan's Border Action Team may have been involved.
There have been over 120 ceasefire violations this year - highest in eight years - along the Line of Control. The number of infiltration attempts from across the border has also doubled compared to last year.