9.12.14

Pakistan backed militants strike Jammu-Kashmir


A series of four terror attacks rocked Kashmir on Friday as Pakistan-backed militants struck a heavily fortified military camp in Uri in Baramulla district as well as police and civilian targets in three other districts. At least 21 have been killed, among them eight soldiers, including the commanding officer in Uri, three policemen, two civilians and the remaining militants. The concerted attacks in Uri, Pulwama, Shopian and Srinagar were seen to be aimed at disrupting the state elections which have so far witnessed record voter turnouts despite dire terror threats. The worst attack was in Uri which goes to the polls in the next round and where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to campaign on Monday . The attacks set off a massive security alert across cities even as Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag briefed Modi in New Delhi. The hand of banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba is being widely suspected. Significantly, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, who on Thursday said at a rally in Lahore that Pakistanis and Kashmiris were blood brothers and polls in Kashmir were no substitute to plebiscite, tweeted, “Ghazwae Hind (conquest of India) is inevitable, Kashmir will be freed, 1971 will be avenged and Ahmedabad Gujarat victims will get justice Insha Allah.“ All six militants who attacked the Uri military base were eliminated by the Army, and two other terrorists were shot dead in Soura area. In Uri, terrorists hurled grenades and fired from automatic guns trying to storm their way into a forward artillery base of the 32 Field regiment.
As they approached the camp, the fidayeen broke into two groups of three each. While one headed towards the main gate, the other turned towards the barracks. A fierce gunbattle followed in which commanding officer, Lt Col Sankalp Kumar, and seven soldiers along with three cops were killed. Firing at the barracks that stored kerosene, the fidayeen set off a fire that charred four soldiers. By 11.30 am, the encounter was over.
The PM is scheduled to campaign in Uri, which goes to polls on December 9. This section of the LoC is significant for being the transit point for Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service and trade between two parts of Kashmir.




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