Encounter underway in Patnitop forests in J&K

Srinagar, Aug 14: Fresh contact was established with the militants as security forces continued to carry out a search operation in a forest in Patnitop area of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

Officials said that the anti-terrorism operation was launched Tuesday evening in Akar forests near the Patnitop tourist resort, but firing exchanges started again on Wednesday morning after the security forces located the hiding militants in the forest area.

Militants have been carrying out hit-and-run ambush attacks against army, security forces and civilians in the hilly districts of Jammu division.

Till July 21 this year, Militants killed 28 people including army, security forces and civilians in 11 such hit-and-run attacks while the security forces carried out 28 anti-terrorism operations.

After reports of a group of 40-50 hardcore foreign mercenaries being active in the mountainous areas of Jammu division, the army deployed over 4,000 soldiers drawn from the elite Para commandos and those trained in mountain warfare in the mountainous districts of Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Udhampur, Kathua and Reasi districts of Jammu division.

These forces have been deployed on the mountaintops to thwart any hit-and-run attacks by the militants. During their past ambush attacks, the militants had carried out surprise attacks and then disappeared in the densely forested areas of these districts.

The revised strategy of the army is aimed at depriving the militants of this element of surprise and hunting them out of the densely forested and foliaged areas of these hilly districts.