In a major counter-insurgency operation which began late Saturday, the Army killed 15 militants in the Gurez sector near the Line of Control (LoC) and was hunting down others trying to head back to the Pakistani side.With the operation still underway, South Block sources said this was a bid by Pakistan to push in militants before heavy snowfall block the Kashmir passes.The operation, codenamed Baruab, was launched after an Army patrol discovered rucksacks abandoned by the infiltrators. Bad weather and heavy snowfall restricted the patrol’s movements but the local brigade kept up the chase. On Sunday, Army patrols finally tracked down the group.In the exchange that followed, the Army gunned down 15 militants and was looking for others.Maj General J K Mohanty, GOC 28 Division, said Operation Baruab involved blocking all escape routes after the militants were spotted in Ramanshak area. But in the rugged terrain, militants managed to occupy some vantage points from where they opened fire on the troops.The Army brought in special units to assist the regulars on ground. Maj Gen Mohanty said bids by Pakistani troops to push in militants showed that Pakistan was abetting, arming and financing militants to create terror in Jammu and Kashmir.He said Pakistan was raining artillery fire on Indian positions and civilian targets to engage and divert the attention of troops so that the militants could slip through the cordon and head back to the Pakistani side of the LoC.‘‘The militants fought like regulars and did not give up till the end. The amount of training and battle craftiness they showed proves they are being trained by Pakistan Army regulars,’’ Mohanty said.Defence attaches of 19 countries were brought to Gurez sector today and briefed by senior Army officers on the extent of Pakistani involvement in the militant attacks. They were also shown weapons, explosives and other material recovered from the encounter site.Gurez sector has witnessed heavy shelling in recent days. In fact, during Operation Parakram last year, troops detected a Pakistani attempt to occupy the area. Eventually, IAF Mirages were sent in to neutralise the Pakistani post.
