Day-13: Shalbato standoff continues: Srinagar, Oct 6: The Shalbato encounter in Keran area of district Kupwara Sunday entered 13th day. Army said additional inputs are coming and they are completely geared for any eventuality while as General Officer Commanding–in-Chief Northern Command visited the area to take stock of the situation. Addressing a hurriedly convened press conference at Badami Bagh here, officiating Brigadier General Staff (BGS) 15 Corps, Colonel Sanjay Mitra said Army is in full control of the situation in Shalbato area. Col Mitra said there was a massive infiltration-cum-Border Action Team (BAT) attempt in Shalbato area, in which 30-40 militants contacted the “anti-infiltration fence” near the Line of Control (LoC) at multiple points, in order to get across. “Heavy exchange of fire took place over several days. An effective cordon is in place, with complete control and domination in the area. Extensive searches to neutralize the militants are currently on. With additional inputs coming in, we are completely geared for all eventualities,” he said. This is the second time when Army said; “This is a BAT (Border Action Team) action-cum-infiltration bid. BAT is part of the Pakistani Army unit that includes members of its commandos Special Services Group.” “The area of operation is in high altitudes, which has heights ranging from 10000-12000 ft with thickly forested steep slopes, deep ravines and crevasses. Operations conducted have hence been deliberate and controlled,” Col Mitra added. Officiating BGS said there were specific intelligence inputs of likely infiltration by militants. “Since then, there have been four attempts of infiltration in this sector which started on September 23 wherein one militant was killed in the area of Lashdat Nar, and a huge quantity of arms, ammunition and war like stores were recovered,” he said adding on October 4 there were two infiltration attempts in 24 hours in Keran sector. “The bids were in same sector. In the first attempt three militants were killed in Gujjardur area while in the second infiltration attempt in the area of Fateh Gali on Saturday, four militants were killed. In both cases, a large amount of arms, ammunition and war-like stores were recovered,” he said. Col Mitra said GOC Northern Command and GOC 15 Corps Sunday visited the area to review the situation on the ground. “The high levels of professionalism and military acumen displayed by our troops in carrying out operations under extremely challenging weather conditions and terrain have been highly appreciated by the Army Commander,” he said. According to some media reports for the first time since Pakistani regulars and militants occupied several abandoned posts in Kargil in 1999, Pakistani soldiers on September 23 occupied Shalbato village in Keran sector during a routine rotation of troops on the Indian side. Lastupdate on : Sun, 6 Oct 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time Lastupdate on : Sun, 6 Oct 2013 18:30:00 GMT Lastupdate on : Mon, 7 Oct 2013 00:00:00 IST is.gd/checkads
Posted on: Sun, 06 Oct 2013 21:54:34 +0000
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