M A I N   N E W S

16 Pak troops killed
12 bunkers destroyed in retaliatory action
Tribune News Service and agencies

Jammu, November 28
At least 16 Pakistani troops were killed and 12 bunkers destroyed in retaliatory firing and shelling by Indian troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir late last night, defence sources said today.

Some civilians were shifted to safer places in Poonch during the heavy exchange of fire, the sources said.

Intermittent shelling of mortars and firing from across the LoC were also reported from the Kerni, Krishna Gati, Mendhar, Laam, Bhawani, Bhimber Gali, Naushera and Pallanwala areas in the Rajouri-Poonch sector since last night, they said.

Pakistani Rangers resorted to firing on border outposts and villages along the international border in the Samba, Hiranagar, RS Pura and Akhnoor areas of Jammu frontier since last night. The BSF troops retaliated the fire which continued until this morning, the sources said.

Meanwhile, a report from Srinagar said at least 11 persons, including seven militants, were killed in separate incidents in Kashmir since yesterday.

Three militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Chak-i-Sanoor Kalipora in Budgam district today.

Two militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Dardpora in the Lolab area of Kupwara district yesterday. They were identified as a foreigner, Abu Syed of Lashkar-e-Toiba, and a local militant, Nazir Ahmad of Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen.

The security forces killed two militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen at Tungduna in the Shopian area of Pulwama district in south Kashmir yesterday. One of them was identified as Abdul Majid Bhat.

Unidentified gunmen shot dead an SPO, Mohammad Maqbool Dar, in the Ganderbal area of Srinagar district yesterday.

In another incident, the militants gunned down a Nambardar, Bashir Ahmad Ganai, at Chanderhama in the Pattan area of Baramula district last night, the police said.

Panic gripped the main market at Sopore this afternoon when the militants threw a hand grenade at a BSF picket. However, the grenade missed the target and exploded on the roadside without causing any damage.

The militants wounded Bilal Ahmad Tabardar at Qamarwari in the down town city this afternoon.

He said the security forces smashed five hideouts in Sogam woods in Kupwara last evening.

A report from Baramula said two security force jawans lost their lives in a militant attack at Sogam in north Kashmir early this morning. The militants, however, escaped.