Srinagar, September 18: After a fierce long battle for about four hours, four fidayeen (sucide) militants who came in the Army fatigues have been neutralised by Indian Army officials on Sunday morning at around 10:00 am, news agency PTI reported. During the operation, 17 jawans lost their lives and around 18 have been admitted to hospital with serious injuries. The Army has started combing operation which may end in one or two days. According to CNN News 18, a top source within the Intelligence told a correspondent that today’s fidayeen attack has been carried out by Hizbul Mujahideen who were backed by Pakistan’s Inter Service Intelligence (ISI).
Indian Army issued a statement, “On the early hours of 18 September 2016, a group of heavily armed terrorists targeted the rear administrative base of a unit at Uri, Kashmir. In the counter action, four terrorists have been eliminated and combing operations are in progress. The administrative base had large strength of troops of units turning over after their tour of duty who were stationed in tents/temporary shelters which caught fire, and resulted in heavy casualties. We salute the sacrifice of 17 soldiers who were martyred in the operation”.
Given the high casualty figure, a high alert has been issued in Jammu and Kashmir which has been witnessing violence and curfew since last 74 days. Army Chief General Dalbir Singh has decided to visit Kashmir in the wake of the terror attack in Uri. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will also visit Srinagar today in wake of the terror attack. Senor Army officers have offered their condolences to the family members of jawans who lost their lives in the fierce battle.
According to CNN News 18, the surprise attack has been carried out by Pakistan-based terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen whose poster boy Burhan Wani died in an encounter in July. If CNN News 18 sources are to be believed, then it is a deliberate attempt made by the terror outfit and Pakistan to derail the peace process carried out by Indian authorities after the death of Burhan Wani. The modus operandi of the attack was same as Pathankot attack in which six fidayeen in army fatigue entered the India strategic base in which seven army men were martyred. According to reports, the fidayeen entered the logistic India base in Uri at around 5:30 am and it was a surprise attack. (Also Read: Uri terror attack: Three jawans killed 18 injured in fidayeen attack; gunfire underway)
Army now has started searching buildings of administrative unit and areas around brigade headquarters. Following the attack, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has postponed his visit scheduled visit to Russia and the United States. Singh has called an emergency meeting, where NSA chief Ajit Doval, top IB, and RAW officials will be present. The Home Minister is likely to review the situation arising out of Kashmir after the terror strike. On Sunday morning Singh spoke to the Jammu and Kashmir Governor and Chief Minister Mebooba Mufti on terror strike in Uri.
In 2014 seven Army personnel were martyred in a similar predawn attack on the army camp in Mohrauri Tehsil. During the exchange fire, three terrorists were also killed. According to reports a group of terrorists in Army uniform breached security and managed to enter the camp and started firing indiscriminately reportedly aiming at a tent where the jawans were sleeping, sources in the police department said. It is one of the biggest incidents in past several years and with high casualties has once again raised several questions about the security of sensitive army installations in the country.
The attack comes at a time when both India and Pakistan has been gearing up for a showdown over Kashmir at the United Nations General Assembly which will be held on Wednesday. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will raise the Kashmir issue at the UN and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to give a “befitting” response to Pakistan premier. Sharif will address the world body on Wednesday and Swaraj, will lead the Indian delegation as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to skip this year’s meeting.
Will turn Kashmir into graveyard for Indian forces: Hizbul Mujahideen leader
Earlier this month Syed Salahuddin, Hizbul Mujahideen chief and the most wanted man in the Valley, vowed to block any peaceful political resolution to the Kashmir conflict. On Septemeber 3, he publicly vowed to train more Kashmiri’s for fidayeen attacks, who would turn the Valley into “a graveyard for Indian forces”, and to take his struggle outside Kashmir.
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