Army launches major operation in J&K

Srinagar: The Indian Army has launched a major operation at the Khablan forests of Jammu & Kashmir's Rajouri district amid the villagers' claim that they have witnessed the presence of terrorists who were heavily armed with weapons. The Thanmandi-Rajouri road has been closed to traffic as a precaution.

Today's op is part of the ongoing anti-terror operation in the Poonch and Pirpanjal regions of J&K. Nine soldiers, including two officers, have been killed in action over the past 27 days, in an operation that began in the Surankote forests on October 11 following the killing of five soldiers. It was subsequently extended to Mendhar as the Army sought to neutralise the fleeing terrorists. Official sources said the villagers complained about the terrorists on Friday.

These terrorists are believed to be part of the same group involved in the killing of the nine officers between October 11 and 14. Since then, the Army has been engaged in one its longest ever counter-terror ops, but there has been little success so far against terrorists who seem well-entrenched in the forested area. There has been no contact since firing on October 24 in Bhatti Durrian, which left one terrorist killed. A major part of the forest belt was cleared to allow the authorities to reopen the highway and villagers to resume normal activities, officials said.

Locals said gunshots and heavy firing were heard last night as the Army moved in towards the terrorists' hiding spot. However, so far there is no clarity if any terrorists were, in fact, killed.