Border heats up, 7 from Pakistan killed; IAF on high alert

New Delhi: The Army foiled Pakistan Border Action Team’s attempt to attack one of the forward posts in Keran sector along the Line of Control (LoC) on the intervening night of July 31-August 1, killing 5-7 Pakistan’s Special Services Group (SSG) commandos and terrorists. The operations are still going on in the area.

“The search operations and attempts to recover bodies are being continuously interfered by Pakistani troops deployed in the area,” said a senior army official. Pakistan is indulging in heavy firing and artillery shelling in the area.

Bodies of at least four Pak SSG commandos or terrorists are lying on the Indian side of the LoC, in close proximity of Indian Army posts.

Pakistan is trying to increase tension in Jammu and Kashmir after US President Donald Trump had offered to act as mediator between India and Pakistan during a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, according to analysts. The government had on Friday called off Amarnath yatra due to threat of terror attack on the devotees.

BAT teams include commandos from the Pakistan Army and terrorists and have been conducting cross-border operations and raids across the LoC.

SSG forms the core of BAT. The Indian Air Force is also on high alert and carrying out air patrol.

“In the last 36 hours, Pakistan has desperately attempted to revive terrorism and push terrorists from JeM and other tanzeems. In the last few days, four terrorists have been killed in the hinterland,” said a senior official from Indian Army.

“Number of attempts by Pakistan to disturb peace and target Amarnath yatra have been made. Cache of sniper rifle, IED and mine with POF markings have been recovered. Security forces will continue to respond to all nefarious activities along LoC and hinterland,” he added. There has been heavy exchange of artillery firing in Sunderbani, Tangdhar, Uri and Keran sectors along the LoC since Monday night. There is deliberate “calibre escalation” by Pakistan and use of artillery fire.

The Army on Saturday denied that it has been using cluster bombs while retaliating to Pakistan fire. It said that such responses are only against military targets and infiltrating terrorists who are aided by Pak Army.