Pakistan army violates the ceasefire for 20th time in last 10 days in Mendhar sector.
As ceasefire violations continue on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch-Mendhar sector, Pakistan is desperately trying to push in militants from other sectors to step up strife in the restive Kashmir Valley.
Army said based on specific Intelligence inputs on likelihood of infiltration from Keran sector, the alert troops of Vajr division in North Kashmir detected the movement of a militant group, 250 meters ahead of the border fence, which is almost 1.5 km on the Indian side of LoC, at 3 am on Sunday.
“On being challenged, terrorists opened indiscriminate fire. It was retaliated by own forces. The exchange of fire continued till early morning. Presently the search operations are on in the area,” said Naresh Vij, defence spokesman at Srinagar.
This is the second infiltration attempt in past one week in the same area. Earlier two terrorists were eliminated in this sector, which army says, is indicative of the desperation of various terrorists outfits to infiltrate ultras into the Valley.
Even as the troops successfully foiled the infiltration bid in the Valley sector, Pakistani army again violated the ceasefire, 20th in last 10 days – in the Mendhar sector of Poonch district in Jammu division.
Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian forward posts at midnight. Pakistani troops used small and mortars to pound Indian forward positions. Alert Indian troops immediately retaliated to silence the enemy guns.
“Pakistan opened fire in Mendhar area from 12 - 3:30am with mortars. Retaliated by own troops,” tweeted additional directorate general of public information, Indian army.
Amid high tensions, the Indian army said Pakistan is trying to launch more Border Action Team (BAT) attacks on the Indian troops along the LoC.
BAT is a mix of Pakistani special forces troops and militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba trained in hit and run attacks on Indian troops on the LoC.
BAT is responsible for the killing two soldiers in Mendhar sector in January and killing of five soldiers in Chakan Da Bagh in Poonch on August 6.
“So far they have not done anything in this area. But there are some inputs (BAT might try something),” Brigadier A Sengupta, Commander 120 Infantry Brigade told reporters in Bhimbher
Gali-Poonch.
“Pakistan troops are firing mortar bomb, rockets, RPG (rocket propelled grenade) and high caliber weapons. Pakistan is not showing any respect to the ceasefire,” said Brigadier Sengupta.
Indian troops have been put on high alert all along the Army 772 km-long Line of Control to thwart the designs of Pakistan army to violate ceasefire and provide cover to infiltrators to cross into this side for subversion.
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