In a harrowing development in Jammu and Kashmir, a gunfight in the Kokernag forest area of Anantnag district resulted in significant casualties. The encounter, which took place at an altitude of 10,000 feet, began when terrorists opened fire on a joint search operation conducted by Army personnel and local police.
CASUALTIES AND INJURIES: KOKERNAG
During the clash, two soldiers Havildar Dipak Kumar Yadav and Lance Naik Praveen Sharma lost their lives. Three additional soldiers were injured, along with two civilians. Tragically, one of the injured civilians later succumbed to their wounds.
The clash began when the terrorists fired upon the search party, prompting a fierce retaliatory response from the security forces. The joint search operation had been launched based on intelligence reports indicating the presence of terrorists in the remote Ahlan Gagarmandu forest area of Kokernag.
ONGOING OPERATION: KOKERNAG
The injured soldiers and civilians are currently receiving medical treatment at a nearby hospital. Reinforcements have been dispatched to the area, and the search for the fleeing terrorists is ongoing. The situation is challenging due to the difficult terrain and communication limitations in the forested area.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
This encounter is particularly notable given its similarity to a previous operation in the Kokernag region last September, which resulted in the deaths of four security personnel, including Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish, and Deputy SP Humayun Bhat. During that operation, two terrorists, including a senior commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), were neutralized.
The current search operation was initiated following intelligence indicating that the terrorists responsible for recent atrocities in the Doda region had moved into the Kokernag area. The Rashtriya Rifles and Jammu and Kashmir Police, aided by electronic surveillance, tracked the terrorists to the Kapran-Garol region in south Kashmir.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
The Kokernag encounter is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. Two weeks ago, a soldier was killed and four others were injured during an attack along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district. Prior to that, an encounter in Doda district resulted in the deaths of four Army personnel and a police officer. That attack was claimed by the Kashmir Tigers, a faction associated with the Pakistan-backed terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
CONCLUSION
The situation in Kokernag underscores the ongoing volatility in Jammu and Kashmir. As security forces continue their efforts to neutralize the terrorist threat, the region remains on high alert. The sacrifice of the soldiers and the impact on civilian lives highlight the ongoing challenges faced in maintaining security and stability in the region. Further updates will be provided as the operation progresses and more information becomes available.
