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Kashmir Gun battle enters 5th day, choppers forced into service

IRNA

Srinagar, Sept 6, IRNA -- The gun battle between militants and Indian 
soldiers in Kashmir province of Jammu entered its fifth day Saturday, 
with army now pressing helicopters into service to track the holed-up 
militants. Army officials say they were acting cautiously to avert 
casualties. 
Fending off criticism over the prolonged gun battle with a group 
of seven holed-up militants in a forested area in Kathua district, 
some 70 km from Jammu, army officials Saturday said the troops had 
been instructed to act cautiously. 
The army had come in for criticism from various quarters for its 
apparent failure to end the standoff -- which began Tuesday afternoon 
after police sighted the militants -- despite having the numerical 
advantage and resources at its command. 
One soldier has been killed and 10 others wounded so far in the 
exchange of fire. 
According to sources, over 2,000 troops are currently involved in 
the operation to engage the militants and prevent their escape. 
Indian Army spokesman Lt. Col. B.S. Rathore was quoted as saying 
Friday evening the army`s actions were part of "deliberate 
operations", implying that the force did not want to suffer 
unnecessary casualties. 
Indian troops and police personnel have further tightened the 
security cordon and resort to a "wait and watch" strategy to choke 
food and water supply to the militants. 
Meanwhile, intermittent gunfire was reported from the site of the 
gun battle after a brief pause. 
The soldiers and the militants have been exchanging fire in a 
forested area for almost 80 hours, making this one of the longest gun 
battles in Kashmir this year. 
The exchange of fire erupted again Thursday night after a lull of 
over 12 hours, during which time army officials had thought the 
militants might have evaded the cordon of troops and escaped or may 
have died in the battle. 
Meanwhile, troops pressed a helicopter into service to spot seven 
holed-up militants who have engaged troops in a gun battle for the 
last four days. 
A helicopter conducted two to three sorties over the Ghati forest 
belt near the International Border to survey and identify the hideouts
of militants in less than 1.7 sq km area to chart out fresh strategy, 
the sources said here. 
"The militants may have made safe hideouts and planted mines 
around them to stop advancement of security forces. That is why we are
going in a planned manner to delay the operation in order to avoid 
casualties," they said. 
/213 
End