Two soldiers and one civilian were killed during a fierce gunfight between terrorists and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Saturday. Three other soldiers were also injured in a gunfight in the Kokernag forest area.
In the encounter, Havildar Dipak Kumar Yadav and Lance Naik Praveen Sharma laid down their lives in the line of duty. On the other hand, one of the civilian who got injured on Saturday in a crossfire died in the hospital.
"Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and All Ranks of the Indian Army salute the supreme sacrifice of the two bravehearts. The Indian Army offers its deepest condolences and stands firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief," the Indian Army stated in an official statement.
Expressing grief over the demise of soldiers, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated, "Deeply saddened at the loss of our brave and fearless Indian Army soldiers in a counterterrorist operation in Kokernag, Anantnag (J&K). My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The nation stands firmly with them, in this hour of grief."
A day after the gunbattle, security forces resumed their anti-terror operations in the area on Sunday.
Operations in the Ahlan Gadole forest area of Kokernag have intensified as additional troops from the 19 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Forces have been mobilised. The operation, taking place at least 15 kilometers inside the dense jungles, has been slowed by heavy rain and poor visibility.
Sources confirmed that a group of Jaish militants had taken shelter in nomadic hutments at a high altitude, which are currently being searched. The militants employed their usual ambush-and-run tactics, attacking the initial search party before retreating deeper into the forest.
The Army is now advancing from multiple directions to cut off the militants' escape routes. So far, two soldiers have been killed in action, and four others have been wounded. Tragically, one of the two civilians injured in the operation also succumbed to their injuries.
Earlier, after receiving intelligence input about the presence of terrorists in the area, security forces conducted search and combing operations in the forest area of South Kashmir.
Terrorists attacked the army patrol as they were conducting anti-terror operations in the forest in the Kokernag subdivision.
"Based on specific intelligence input, a joint operation was launched by the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and CRPF today in the general area of Kokernag, Anantnag. Contact was established, and a firefight ensued. Two personnel have been injured and evacuated from the area. Operation is in progress," the Indian Army's Chinar Corps said in a post on X.
Two weeks ago, an Indian soldier was killed, and four others, including a major, were injured as the Army thwarted an attack by Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) along the Line of Control in Kupwara.
Prior to this, four Army personnel and a police officer lost their lives in a Doda district encounter with heavily armed terrorists. The attack was claimed by the 'Kashmir Tigers,' a proxy group of the Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
Source: India Today