Army foils infiltration attempt, kills 2 Pak BAT men

Srinagar, Jan 1: The Indian Army has foiled an attempt by Pakistan's Border Action Team to push infiltrators along the Line of Control. Two intruders, who the Indian Army suspects were BAT men were killed at the Nowgam sector of north Kashmir's Kupwara district on Sunday.

The last time the BAT made such an attempt was on February 23 2018. The Army foiled a major BAT attempt to strike a forward post along the Line of Control in Nowgam in the early hours of December 30, 2018," a statement by the defence spokesman said. "The intruders attempted to move by exploiting the thick jungle close to the LoC and were assisted by heavy covering fire of high-calibre weapons, such as mortars and rocket launchers, from the Pakistani posts," the spokesperson said.

Their movement was detected by Army troops deployed along the LoC and that the Indian Army retaliated strongly in the firefight initiated by Pakistan. Prolonged searches in the thick jungle and difficult terrain led to the recovery of the bodies of two "likely Pakistani soldiers" and a large cache of warlike stores, he also added.

He further said that search operations are still underway in the sector to sanitise the area.

It was also reported that a few other intruders managed to escape across the LoC taking advantage of the Pakistani firing and adverse weather and visibility conditions," the spokesman said. He said the attackers were wearing combat fatigues, like Pakistani regulars, and were carrying stores with Pakistani markings. "Some intruders were also seen in BSF and old pattern Indian Army dresses as part of their deception. They had intruded (across the LoC) well-equipped with IEDs, incendiary materials, explosives, and a plethora of arms and ammunition.