Four Indian security forces and two rebels have been killed in separate gunfights in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Anantnag District, Indian-administered Kashmir — In a series of violent incidents on Wednesday, three Indian security officers tragically lost their lives in an ongoing gun battle with rebel forces in Anantnag district, while another soldier and two rebels met their demise in a separate confrontation in the border district of Rajouri.
The operation unfolded after a joint task force comprised of police and army units received intelligence regarding the suspected presence of rebels within the Kokernag area’s dense forests in Anantnag. During the ensuing search operation, the suspected rebels targeted the security personnel while they were crossing a stream. The fallen officers were identified as Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Donchak, and the deputy superintendent of police, Himayun Muzammil. Sadly, the heavy exchange of fire delayed their evacuation.
Dilbagh Singh, the region’s police chief, extended condolences and vowed to bring the perpetrators of this heinous act to justice.
Amid intense gunfire, the bodies of the fallen officers were recovered, with army helicopters employed for evacuation. The precise number of suspected rebels involved in the conflict remains undisclosed.
In the midst of these tragic events, questions regarding the assertion of normalcy in the region resurface. Despite the Indian government’s claims of having restored stability in Kashmir following the revocation of its limited autonomy in 2019, intermittent clashes continue to exact a toll on lives. Last month, three Indian soldiers lost their lives in a skirmish with rebels in southern Kashmir’s forests.
Omar Abdullah, former chief minister and a prominent pro-India figure, expressed his grief on social media, while Union Minister General Vijay Kumar Singh conveyed his condolences, acknowledging the collective mourning across the nation.
In a separate incident earlier in the day, an Indian army soldier and two suspected rebels were killed in a gun battle in the southern border district of Rajouri’s Narla village. The Indian military reported the recovery of a substantial quantity of war-related supplies, including Pakistani-marked medicine. In addition to the fatalities, three soldiers and a special police officer sustained injuries.
The Kashmir region, a longstanding flashpoint between India and Pakistan, has witnessed a protracted conflict since 1989, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties. India has accused Pakistan of providing support to the rebel forces, a charge vehemently denied by Islamabad.”