3 soldiers, trooper, 3 militants killed in major action on LoC

Srinagar: Three Indian Army soldiers and a Border Security Force trooper were killed while neutralising three terrorists during a major gun battle near the LoC in Kupwara district as they foiled an infiltration bid from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir.

The infiltration was attempted in the Machil sector on Saturday night. The operation is ongoing, army said.

Army in a statement on Sunday said that during Saturday night a BSF patrol noticed suspicious movement near the Anti-Infiltration Obstacle System (AIOS) of the LoC Fence, about 3.5 km from the LoC in the general area of Machil sector.

A firefight ensued in which one terrorist was killed. A BSF soldier was killed in action. Firefight stopped at 4 a.m.

"More troops were rushed to the area. Terrorists movement was tracked by surveillance devices," army said.

Contact was re-established at 10.20 a.m., when heavy fire was drawn by Indian search parties approximately 1.5 km from the LoC, the army said.

In the ensuing gunfight two more terrorists were killed along with three soldiers who laid down their lives while two others were injured. "Injured soldiers have been evacuated. Operations was still underway," army said.