Militatn training camps still in operation across PoK

Rangwar, Line of Control, May 10 (UNI) Youths from Pakistan, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and other countries are still being trained in a number of camps across the border, said two ultras, who were part of a group that infiltrated into this side recently.

The militants--Mohammad Yasin, a resident of Lahore and Akhtar Al Salam, resident of Sialkote in Pakistan-- said a number of camps are still in operation across the Line of Control (LoC) where youths are being given arms training.

They said before pushing the militants into Jammu and Kashmir they were being trained how to detonate Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and target vital installations.

Yasin said they were given three months training in the camps before they were directed to reach a launching pad near the LoC at Athumuqam post in PoK.

However, on the intervening night of April 20-21 they were handed over to a guide who helped them to cross the LoC, they said adding the guide later went back to PoK.

'' We were seven and after reaching Rangwar on April 22, we noticed an army patrol while crossing Kahmil nallah'', they said adding after we were challenged and asked to surrender we opened fire.

They said one of the militant later died in the firing by troops, while escaping two more militants slipped and fell into Kahmil Nallah. The body of one of them was later recovered on April 23 at Chowkibal while another was recovered at Tuman village on May 4, a senior army officer told visiting reporters.

He said troops intensified search operation in the entire Rangwar area to nab other militants who managed to escape and move towards Rajwar. Later, one of them was killed while two others were arrested on May 9 after remaining in the woods for 14 days.

He said the operation was launched with inputs from our own people in the area, cooperation from the civil administration and police officials including other agencies.

The officer said one HM militant Bilal Ahmed Mir, after escaping from the site of encounter in Dardehare, surrendered before 14 Grenadiers in Lunawari yesterday.

Speaking to media, Bilal confessed that he was forcibly sent to PoK in 2003 for receiving arms training.

UNI