7 jawans die in militant attack on I-Day eve

SRINAGAR, Aug 14: On the eve of Independence Day, militants today attacked security forces at four different places across the Valley, ki...

SRINAGAR, Aug 14: On the eve of Independence Day, militants today attacked security forces at four different places across the Valley, killing seven soldiers and injuring 15. In today8217;s attacks militants targeted Rashtriya Rifles, BSF and ITBP.

In a dozen attacks since August 6, the security forces have lost 29 personnel including a Colonel and a Marine officer. Most of these attacks were carried out in Kupwara.

Since last night, militants have attacked security forces at Dever Lolab and Vilgam in Kupwara, Mansbal in Baramulla and Magam in Budgam district.Four personnel of 18 RR battalion were killed and six others injured when militants attacked their patrol at Dever Lolab in frontier district of Kupwara late last night. Sources said the RR personnel were on patrol in the area after intercepting a militant wireless conversation that they are attacking Dever camp.

The troops came out of the camp and went on patrol from three directions to trap the militants. However, a patrol on its way was attacked bythe militants, killing two personnel and injuring eight others. Later, two of them succumbed to their injuries.

Sources said militants are airing deceptive radio messages and thereby dragging the security forces into their trap, as it happened in Dever.Militants used rifle-propelled grenades RPG and AK rifles in the attack and escaped unhurt. Only two days ago, the same unit lost two personnel in a militant attack at Sogam.

In South of Dever, militants attacked the RR camp at Mansbal with RPGs and UMGs killing three soldiers and injuring nine in the early hours of this morning. At 3.30 a.m., militants fired several rockets at the barracks causing damage. Troops open fire in retaliation, but the militants managed to escape. On August 12, militants had killed a Marine officer and three jawans in an Improvised Explosive Device IED blast near Watlab in the same area.

Last midnight militants attacked the BSF camp at Vilgam in Kupwara with rockets. However, the attack was immediately repulsed and no losswas suffered. Sources said 10-15 heavily armed militants attacked the camp.

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A major attack on headquarters of Indo-Tibetan border Police ITBP at Magam in Budgam district this morning was also repulsed, and militants forced to flee. A spokesman of the ITBP said the militants used rockets and semi-automatic weapons. He said,8220;After a two hour long encounter, militants had to make a hasty retreat.8221;