Poonch encounter continues on fourth day

JAMMU: The fierce gun battle between security
forces and militants near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district
of Jammu and Kashmir entered the fourth day today and has already left
three security force personnel and four ultras dead.

“The fierce gun battle resumed this morning after a night-long break.
Army and police have put a three-tier cordon and are zeroing in on the
cave-type hideouts in Bhatidhar forests,” defence sources told reporters.

Heavy fog and poor visibility are coming in the way of the security forces,
they said, adding that “a major assault was launched in these strong
cave-type hideouts to destroy them”.

There are reports of over 10 militants hiding in the area, they said,
adding that intercepts decoded have revealed that some top commanders
of Jeish-e-Mohammad (JEM), Al-Badr and Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) were holed-up
there.

“We will not allow them to escape from the spot. The operation will
finish after the recovery of their bodies,” they said.

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