Death Toll in Anantnag Anti-Terror Operation Rises to Three

Death Toll in Anantnag Anti-Terror Operation Rises to Three

Death Toll in Anantnag Anti-Terror Operation Rises to Three

Key Highlights:

1. Three killed, including two Army personnel, in Anantnag encounter.
2. Security forces intensify operations despite challenging terrain.
3. Terrorists linked to Doda region atrocities may be involved.

SRINAGAR, Aug 11: The death toll in the ongoing anti-terror operation in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir rose to three as Abdul Rashid Dar, one of the two civilians injured during the encounter, succumbed to his injuries early Sunday, officials confirmed.

The operation commenced on Saturday evening when security forces launched a cordon and search mission in the Ahlan Gagarmandu forest area of Anantnag district, situated at an altitude of 10,000 feet.

Acting on intelligence reports of terrorist presence, Army personnel, including para commandos, and local police faced fierce resistance as terrorists opened fire, injuring six soldiers and two civilians.

Despite immediate medical attention, two Army personnel, Havildar Dipak Kumar Yadav and Lance Naik Praveen Sharma, succumbed to their injuries. Reinforcements have been deployed, and the search for the remaining terrorists continues in the rugged and heavily forested area.

This operation echoes a similar encounter in the Kokernag region last September, which resulted in the deaths of four security personnel and the neutralization of two terrorists, including a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba commander.

The current operation is believed to involve terrorists who crossed from Kishtwar district, evading a recent confrontation in Doda.

A Srinagar-based defence spokesperson reported that on August 5, intelligence confirmed that these terrorists, responsible for atrocities in the Doda region, had infiltrated into the Kapran-Garol area. Security forces have been tracking them relentlessly, leading to the current engagement.

The operation is ongoing, with security forces cautiously navigating the challenging terrain to eliminate the remaining terrorists.