Army says five slain ultras were fresh infiltrators

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 10

The Army on Friday said the five militants killed in a gunfight at Rafiabad forests in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district were probably fresh infiltrators.

The operation was launched by security forces on August 5 after specific intelligence input about the presence of militants at the dense Doniwari forest in Rafiabad, nearly 90 km from Srinagar.

The first contact with militants was established on August 8 when they fired upon a search party that left one soldier injured.

“In the ensuing gunfight over several hours, five heavily armed terrorists were eliminated by security forces. On detailed search of the area, four AK-47 rifles, one pistol and a large amount war-like stores were recovered,” Brig Dharam Raj Rai, commander of Army’s 7 sector, told reporters in north Kashmir on Friday.

“An analysis of the recovered items suggests that the militants belonged to the Lashkar-e-Toiba. The group had probably infiltrated into the state from the PoK recently,” he added.

Brigadier Rai, however, did not specify the exact route through which the militants had infiltrated from across the Line of Control.