Kupwara gunfight: Operation suspended due to darkness, inclement weather

Srinagar, April 1: A fierce gunfight broke out between militants and army in woods along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Wednesday.

Reports reaching GNS said that the soldiers manning the fence near “Guguldar Teen Behak” in the Jumgund area of the LoC at around 1:00 p.m. intercepted a group of militants believed to be 5 to 6 in number.

The militants while trying to infiltrate in this side were challenged by the army, triggering off a brief exchange of gunfire, they said.

After the initial fierce battle, there was a lull in firing amid inclement weather, they said. However, the firing resumed and continued for some time and there was lull again.

Army sources also confirmed the operation in the area. “When reports last came in, the operation was suspended owing to darkness and snowfall in the area,” they said.

Meanwhile, additional reinforcement of the forces were rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area to prevent militants from escaping.

Also, they said, an alert has been sounded along Awaoora, Kumkadi, Zurhuma, Safawali, Batpora, Haihama areas where reinforcement from 41 and 57 RR besides 160 TA and SOG Kupwara and police from Awoora have been sent.

Reports said that some militants have been killed but the details were not immediately confirmed by the officials. “The operation is going one. We have not received any information regarding the neutralizing of any (militant) so far,” a senior police officer said. The operation, he said, has been suspended owing to the darkness and inclement weather.

GNS