Para Commandos take control, army says belongings suggest JeM involved
JAMMU: Two army officers and as many militants were killed and nine persons including soldiers suffered injuries as fidayeen on Saturday wee hours attacked an army camp at Sujwan area of Jammu.
“Two to three fidayeen carried out the attack at around 4:10 am by opening indiscriminate fire and lobbed grenades inside the camp situated in Sunjwan area of Jammu district,” officials said.
“All the attackers later entered inside the camp of 36 Brigade and engaged the troops in a gun battle”, they said. In the initial exchange of gunfight, one JCO and one NCO were killed.
Soon after the attack, reinforcement of army’s special commandos from 4 PARA and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid fierce gunfight. The helicopters and sniffer dogs were also pressed into service to trace out the hiding militants.
Army’s defence spokesman in a statement issued here said that two heavily armed militants were killed in an ongoing operation so far. The militants’ wearing army combat dressed were carrying AK-56 Assault rifles.
“Large quantity of ammunition and hand grenades, the search of their belongings confirm the militants belonged to the Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that the operation is in progress with extreme caution and restraint to safeguard the unarmed soldier, women and children in the houses. “Most of over 150 houses in the complex have been cleared and occupants moved to safety,” he said.
The spokesman said that so far one JCO and one NCO both belonging to J&K died and nine others including five women and children received injuries. two of the injured is stated to be critical.
The operation will continue till all the militants part of the fidayeen attack are apprehended or killed, he added.
Meanwhile sources identified the deceased as Madan Lal Chaudhary of 4 Jakli, Ashraf Mir of 1 Jakli, a resident of Maidanpora, Lolab, Kupwara and the injured were identified as Maj Avijit Singh of 6 Mahar (head injury), L/Nk Bahadur Singh of 1 Jakli (multiple injuries), Havaldar Abdul Hamid Rashid of 1 Jakli (head), Paramjeet Kaur(40), Neha(20) daughter of the deceased Hony Lt Madan and Somati Jena (head injury). Among the injured four are said to be critical conditions.
Earlier, in the morning, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu Range had said that the militants who carried out an attack on the army camp at Sujwan in Jammu district have been trapped in one of the building.
“Around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the Santri and his bunker was fired upon, the fire was retaliated. The number of militants entered inside was not known, they’ve been cornered in one of the family quarters,” IGP SD Singh Jamwal had said. Pertinently, there was an intelligence input about the possible attack by Afzal-Guru squad on the fifth death anniversary of Afzal Guru in the J&K. The authorities already closed all schools and restricted movement of people within 500 meters from the camp. (GNS)
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