Day 3: Army pounds forest in Kokernag to flush out ultras

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, September 15

The Army’s operation in the forest of Kokernag entered its third day on Friday as the security forces intensified their efforts to flush out the militants who had been “encircled”.

The operation, which began on Tuesday evening at Hallpora village in Gandool area of Kokernag in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, has witnessed a relentless effort by security personnel to neutralise the militants. Drones were pressed into service to pinpoint the location of the terrorists in the forest area on a hilly terrain, officials said. “The forces, based on drone surveillance, fired mortar shells on the terrain where they believe the terrorists are hiding,” the officials said.

As the sun set, the operation was temporarily halted, and the security cordon tightened. Flashlights were installed on escape routes, and troops were deployed with night-vision devices to maintain control of the situation. The operation was launched based on inputs suggesting the presence of militants in a forested hideout. However, the militants detected the presence of the joint team of the Army and the J&K Police, resulting in a hail of gunfire from their assault rifles. The evacuation efforts were thwarted, as the injured officers came in the line of fire. Security forces have responded with under-barrel grenade launchers and high-intensity fire directed towards the suspected militant hideout in the jungle.