Five militants trained in guerrilla warfare in Afghanistan-Pak theatre killed in ambush in J-K's Kupwara

Samaan Lateef

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Srinagar, June 16

Five foreign militants, trained in guerrilla warfare in the Afghanistan-Pakistan theatre, were killed in an ambush laid by security forces near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, officials said on Friday.

The encounter occurred during the night between Thursday and Friday when the Army and police set up multiple ambushes to counter the infiltration of militants in the Jumagund area of the Keran Sector along the LoC in Kupwara.

According to the police, the encounter commenced in the early hours of Friday as the terrorists engaged in a firefight with joint teams of the army and police in the Jumgund area based on specific intelligence received from the Kupwara Police.

“Based on specific intelligence developed by the Kupwara Police regarding the likely infiltration of a group of five highly trained militants from the Jammu Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF), who are seasoned in guerrilla warfare in the Afghan-Pak theatre, a well-planned and tactically designed operation was conducted in coordination with the Army on the possible infiltration route in the Jumagund area of the district,” officials informed The Tribune.

The terrorists initiated an attack on the joint ambush parties when they were intercepted, leading to a retaliatory response from the security forces. The encounter resulted in the neutralization of the terrorists without any casualties on the Indian side, the officials said.

“On June 16, at around midnight, the movement of terrorists was detected by alert troops, who braved challenging terrain and weather conditions along the LoC. The infiltrating terrorists were engaged with precise and accurate fire, resulting in the neutralization of five unidentified terrorists without any collateral damage,” said Major General Girish Kalia, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Indian Army’s elite Vajr Division.

Kalia said that the terrorists were heavily armed and appeared to be very well trained.

During the subsequent search operation, a significant quantity of war-like stores, including five AK series rifles, fourteen grenades, five hundred AK-rounds, and night vision goggles, was recovered, he said.

“All five bodies and arms have been recovered,” officials confirmed.

The group was found to be associated with the JKGF, with handlers identified as Rafiq Nai, Shamsher Nai (also known as Zafar Iqbal), both residents of Poonch, and Murtaza Pathan alias Ghaznvi, an Afghan war veteran, who are currently settled in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Pathan, from Faislabad in Pakistan, serves as the operational commander, overseeing tactical aspects from PoK, officials said.

Kalia emphasized that the successful intelligence-based operation was another testament to the close synergy between the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police.

“The operation clearly exposes the malicious intentions of terrorist groups that are determined to disrupt peace in Kashmir. It also reveals the facade of false commitment to the ceasefire understanding by Pakistan, which has repeatedly been exploited to carry out acts of terror in Jammu and Kashmir,” Army said in a statement.

Kalia reaffirmed that the security forces remain resolute in defeating the nefarious designs of hostile elements and maintaining peace and harmony in Kashmir.