Operation Over, 7 Militants Killed Since Sept 18: Maj Gen Vats
Srinagar: A 19-year-old Pakistani militant belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba was captured alive during an anti-infiltration operation along the Line of Control on Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir in which one militant was killed and three Indian soldiers sustained injuries, the Army said on Tuesday.
The operation was launched on September 18 after the Army noticed suspicious movement along the LoC, GoC 19 Infantry Division, Major General Virender Vats told reporters at a briefing in Baramulla district.
He said an encounter took place when the infiltrators — believed to be six — were challenged.
While four of them were on the other side of the fence, two had come on our side of the territory.
“The four terrorists, who were on the other side, took advantage of the dense foliage and retreated back into PcK. The remaining two sneaked in.
“One of the infiltrators was killed in the encounter on the morning of 26th while another one pleaded that his life be spared. As is the ethos of the Indian Army, after taking due precautions, he was taken into custody alive,” the official said.
The apprehended infiltrator has given his identity as 19-year-old Ali Babar Parra, resident of Okara district in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
“He has admitted to be a member or Lashkar-e-Taiba and was trained in Muzaffarabad,” he added.
He has revealed that he was trained for three weeks at Khyber camp, Ghadiwala in Muzaffarabad in 2019, the officer said.
He was recalled this year for some important task and was told by his handlers that he has to do drop supplies at Pattan. But when we went through the recoveries and modus operandi, it shows that they had come here for some kind of a strike which went beyond the drop of supplies, the official said.
The Army official said the infiltration attempt was made along the Salamabad Nala, which was the same route used for the 2016 suicide attack on the Uri garrison.
“The infiltrating column was supported by the Pakistani side with three porters bringing supplies till the LoC,” he said.
The official said movement of such large number of people cannot take place without active complicity of the Pakistan Army deployed on the other side.
Major General Vats said there has been an increased movement at the launch pad across the LoC.
“This shows the desperation of Pakistan that when they see peace in Kashmir, they send in terrorists to disturb peace by sensational strike. Seven terrorists have been neutralised in as many days while one has been nabbed alive,” he added.
Teen Militant Hopes To Return Home
The teenage militant, who was apprehended at Salamabad Uri by army, said on Tuesday that he was hopeful to see his mother back home in Pakistan one day soon.
Ali Babar, aged 19, son of Lt. Muhammad Haneef, a resident of Okara district in the Punjab region in Pakistan was apprehended by the Indin Army during a nine-day long counter-militancy operation at Salamabad Uri in which seven militants were killed.
Talking to reporters at at Uri brigade, the apprehended infiltrator said that he took three week arms training in Muzaffarabad in 2019 and was recalled by one of the LeT commanders saying that he was to take part in an important operation un-known to him in April in the ensuing year.
He said that he has a mother and elder sister at home while his father passed away a couple of years ago and they have no one other than him to earn for living and survival.
“I am hopeful to see my mother and sister back home in Pakistan one day soon,” he said.
Babar stated that no infiltrator can cross the Line of Control (LoC) without support from across the border saying that it is impossible to cross the massive cover of the two armies on the LoC.
He said that his group was tasked to enter Kashmir through the route they sneaked in and remain in the Baramulla district at Pattan area. “We were told to reach Pattan and the LeT handler there will get in touch with us (the infiltrator’s group) and that he will give directions about the plans ahead”, he revealed.
Babar said that they were told by handlers on leaving that their immediate task is to motivate the local youth of Kashmir valley and get them in their folds.
About the communication, he revealed that they have a device through which they send voice SMS directly and the directions are issued in the same medium to carry out the tasks given to them.
The apprehended militant claimed to have attained the arms training along with nine others and he was the youngest among them and was chosen by one of the handlers for this particular operation earlier this year to drop the supplies in north Kashmir besides to motivate local youth.
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