Anti-terror operation underway in Kupwara
The encounter started after the army and police established contact with the militants in the dense forest at Trimukha top, which connects Lolab with Bandipora and Baramulla districts and has been used by the militants to sneak from one district to another
Security forces launched an anti-terrorism operation on Tuesday in the Lolab area of Kupwara district, officials said.
The encounter started after the army and police established contact with the militants in the dense forest at Trimukha top, which connects Lolab with Bandipora and Baramulla districts and has been used by the militants to sneak from one district to another, especially after infiltration from across the Line of Control via Tanghdar and Machil sectors of Kupwara.
It was not yet clear if any casualties have taken place in the initial contact between the security forces and the terrorists.
“Security forces have established contact with #terrorists near Trimukha Top, Lolab, #Kupwara. #Operation in progress,” Kashmir Police wrote on X.
The place where the encounter is in progress is in the vicinity of the army’s Divar camp which keeps an eye on the militant movements in deep Lolab Valley that was used as a transit point by the infiltrators after they sneaked into Kupwara after crossing LoC.
Though the Lolab Valley has been calm for some time, a few months ago the Border Security Forces (BSF) and the army had busted a militant hideout near Sogam.
The army has already foiled three infiltration attempts in the Keran and Uri sectors in the past two months and killed six infiltrators mostly foreigners near the LoC. After the encounters close to LoC, the Army has stepped up its vigil around the areas which infiltrators had been using to sneak into the Valley, besides regular patrolling the army keeps a close watch on sensitive points by using surveillance gadgets installed on the hi-tech fencing close to LoC, especially during night and during bad weather. The army also relies on drones, quadcopters and human intelligence to track down the movement of infiltrators near the LoC fencing.