Now, all eyes on Batalik

BATALIK, JUNE 19: With the recapture of Point 5140 and the clearing of Tuloling, the focus of operations is gradually shifting to the Bat...

BATALIK, JUNE 19: With the recapture of Point 5140 and the clearing of Tuloling, the focus of operations is gradually shifting to the Batalik-Yaldor sector. The Army, keen to extend its success in this region, has started preparations to this end.

An army officer posted in the Batalik brigade headquarters said so far Drass had been top priority to ensure that National Highway 1-A was secured. With operations there well under control, the focus was shifting to the Batalik-Yaldor sector. In fact, Yaldor sub-sector was more also or less secured as the army had pre-empted enemy infiltration here and thwarted plans to isolate southern Siachen glacier.

After initial setbacks, the Army seems to have gained a foothold, having succeeded in pushing the infiltrators back to the Line of Control in the Chorbatla area. Officers in the Batalik sector say the operations here are extremely difficult due to treacherous terrain. 8220;High, steep and rocky mountains make climbing difficult, and lack of tree cover makes hidingimpossible; so our soldiers become easy targets. The enemy, on the otherhand, is well entrenched,8221; a field officer said.

The army undertakes all operations in the dark so that the the advancing infantry gets some cover. Despite the heavy odds, however, the army has occupied several peaks opposite the ones held by the infiltrators and is engaging them in an exchange of fire. Multi-pronged attacks have been launched on the enemy not only to push them out, but also to cut off their supply lines. The air attack by Mi-17 helicopters, though, had to be temporarily halted because they have proved unfeasible in this terrain.

The army conceded that the enemy supply line was not completely cut off and a major reason for this was that the ridgelines began from Pakistan and the peaks were in Indian territory.

8220;With Pakistan helping them, aid reached their bunkers quickly. But we are shelling the routes, making it impossible for the supplies to reach them,8221; said an officer.

Infiltration in the Batalik sectoris by and large in a horse-shoe shape and in some places, the enemy has come in as deep as six kms.

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A sipahi of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, who walked in a platoon for three days to reach a post now named Kalia post after Capt Amol Kalia who was killed trying to occupy it, said that the initial party marched with little food; for three days, they ate only snow. Now the situation seems to be improving. 8220;The army has formed its own supply line. And sitting opposite the enemy, we fire sniper rifles and machine guns, providing cover to the advancing infantry soldiers,8221; said an artillery officer.

Officers here say that the enemy communication system is far more advanced than initially thought; messages intercepted revealed that the infiltrators have access to satellite telephone and often speak to their families in Pakistan and Afghanistan.