Three more security personnel have been injured in the weeklong operation in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, making it one of the most protracted counter-insurgency operations this year.
Senior army and police officers on Thursday rushed to south Kashmir to review the security situation and the counter-insurgency grid in the area.
A total of seven soldiers have been injured during the ongoing operation, which was in its seventh day on Thursday, against a group of battle-hardened militants who have reportedly lost two members to the gunfight.
Officials said Jammu and Kashmir director-general of police Nalin Prabhat, along with inspector-general of police V.K. Birdi, visited the encounter site in Akhal Devsar of Kulgam on Thursday “to assess and review the ongoing anti-militancy operation”.
Earlier in the day, the army’s Northern Command commanding-in-chief, Lt Gen. Pratik Sharma, also reviewed “the security situation and counter-terrorism grid in south Kashmir”, where he was also briefed on the ongoing operation, said sources.
An official said three soldiers were injured in a fresh gunfight early on Thursday. Security forces have deployed drones and helicopters to track down the remaining militants, hiding in the forest foliage in the district. The operation started last Friday following intelligence on the presence of militants there.