Counter-terror op in J&K's Poonch enters 5th day; terrorists kill two more soldiers
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Security personnel patrol at the site of an encounter in Surankote area of Poonch district, five army personnel, including a JCO, were killed during an anti-insurgency operation.(PTI)
Jammu: The counter insurgency operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts entered the fifth day on Saturday as the Army deployed para commandos to eliminate terrorists whose exact number is still not known.
After resorting to indiscriminating firing on the troops, terrorists remained untraced for the fifth consecutive day today.
Police sources said traffic on the Poonch-Rajouri highway remained closed in Bhimber Gali area for the third straight day.
Two soldiers from Uttarakhand were killed in an encounter with terrorists in Poonch district while a junior commissioned officer (JCO) was missing, taking the number of Army personnel killed in the counterterrorism operations in the area to seven this week, the Army said on Friday.
Five soldiers, including a Junior JCO were killed in the first exchange of gunfire between the combing troops and the terrorists on Tuesday.
Para commandos have been deployed in the densely forested Nar Khas area where the two soldiers were killed on Friday.
Defence sources said initially the operation had started following reports that three terrorists and a local guide were seen in the Dhera Ki Gali (DKG) area.
"After the firing exchanges started in Mendhar area while the engagement with the terrorists was going on in DGK area, it is likely that there are two groups of terrorists, one operating in Poonch district and the other in Rajouri district.
"The exact number of terrorists would be known after they are eliminated," the defence sources said.
They added that two locals have been detained by police for questioning in connection with providing food and shelter to the terrorists.
