In Jammu and Kashmir, Army helicopters were pressed into service as security forces today morning resumed the search and cordon operation in Kishtwar district to track down a group of terrorists hiding in the upper reaches of the area. Akashvani Jammu Correspondent reports that the operation, launched yesterday in the Sonnar village area near Mandral-Singhpora in the Chatroo sector, was suspended late last night due to difficult terrain and poor visibility.
The operation had escalated into an exchange of fire during the initial contact, in which eight security personnel sustained injuries after terrorists hurled a grenade. The injured personnel were shifted to the hospital for treatment. With the first light of the day, joint teams of the Army, Police and Paramilitary Forces resumed the operation and tightened the cordon to prevent any escape. Drones and sniffer dogs are being used to comb the densely forested area, while Army helicopters are conducting sorties to maintain aerial surveillance over the operation zone. According to intelligence inputs, two to three terrorists, suspected to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), are believed to be trapped in the area. However, there had been no fresh contact with the terrorists. The operation was continuing. More details are awaited.
