3 terror camps in PoK destroyed, 6 to 10 Pak soldiers killed: Rawat

Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Sunday (October 20) said that around six to ten Pakistani soldiers were killed and three terror camps destroyed in the Indian Army’s retaliatory action, opposite the Tangdhar sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

Besides, General Rawat said that “nearly as many terrorists” were also killed in the firing, reported news agency PTI. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was briefed about the retaliatory action, he added.

He said that on Saturday night, an infiltration attempt was made by the terrorists, which was followed by India’s retaliation. At the same time, he said, Pakistan carried out firing at the post and two soldiers and a civilian were killed in the unprovoked ceasefire violation. “All this (firing) was done to ensure that they can push in the terrorists,” General Rawat said.

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“On the basis of reports we have been getting, six to ten Pakistani soldiers have been killed, three terrorist camps have been destroyed. A similar number of terrorists have also been killed,” General Rawat told reporters. He added that more information on terrorist casualty was being obtained.

“Three terror camps have been destroyed and on the fourth one also, we have caused severe damage,” he clarified. He asserted that if Pakistan continued with such activities, the Indian Army would not hesitate to retaliate.

General Rawat said that since the special provisions for Jammu and Kashmir were abrogated, the Indian Army has been getting repeated inputs about infiltration by terrorists from across the border. The August 5 Kashmir move of the Indian government was strictly opposed by Pakistan, which has been rally for international support on the issue.

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Recently, the Army received information that terrorists were coming closer to camps in the forward areas, General Rawat said. In the last one month, repeated infiltration attempts were made from the Gurez, Keran, Machil sectors and south of Pir Panjal, he said, adding that Pakistani soldiers were resorting to ceasefire violation to provide support to the infiltration bids by terrorists.

General Rawat said terror camps across the border were targeted as the Army had definitive information. “The festival season is approaching and Diwali is round the corner. We had picked up a definitive signal that some of the terror camps north of Pir Panjal were active. Terrorists had arrived in these camps and that they were likely to infiltrate,” said Rawat.

“Before they could attempt the infiltration, it was decided that we target the terror camps. We had definitive information and coordinates of these camps and in the retaliatory action that our forces have taken, we have caused severe damage to the terror infrastructure across (the LoC),” the Army chief added.

(With inputs from agencies)