17 SOLDIERS, 4 TERRORISTS KILLED IN URI ATTACK

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 18

In one of the bloodiest terror attacks on an Army installation in Kashmir, at least 17 soldiers and four militants were killed before the gunfight ended in north Kashmir's border town of Uri this morning.

Sources said that a group of militants stormed a military base close to Army's 12th brigade headquarters in Uri at 4 am on Sunday. The brigade headquarters is nearly 100 km from Srinagar.

"Four terrorists killed in counter-terrorist operations at Uri. Seventeen soldiers made the supreme sacrifice,” Army spokesman said.

Fifteen of those killed belonged to 6 Bihar and two from 10 Dogra regiments.

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The Army deployed its elite Para commandoes and military helicopters.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said the attack was aimed at sparking renewed violence and creating a war-like situation in the state.

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh was in Srinagar on Sunday afternoon. Defence Minister Manhohar Parrikar is also scheduled to arrive.  

Sources said the militants — all believed to be foreigners — may have infiltrated the sector late on Saturday night.  

This is a first major attack on an Army installation in Uri in nearly two years. In December 2014, some militants had stormed an Army camp at Mohra Uri.  

Eight Army men — among them a Lieutenant Colonel — three Jammu and Kashmir policemen and all the six militants were killed in the gunbattle that followed the attack.

Read:

• Attackers belonged to Jaish, had equipment with Pak markings, says Army
• Uri attackers likely had input from Pak military; hid during night
• Those behind Uri attack won’t go unpunished, says PM Modi
• Terrorist state Pakistan must be isolated: Rajnath
• Supreme sacrifice of 17 brave soldiers will not go in vain: Parrikar
  
• ‘Keep military option open’, veterans tell govt

#WATCH #Firstvisuals: Terrorist attack at army's Brigade HQs in Uri (J&K). Encounter underway. (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/CG8ur8Rkor

— ANI (@ANI_news) September 18, 2016