Srinagar, Oct 2 (IANS): The army Wednesday denied reports that guerrillas had taken over some unoccupied army posts or a village on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Keran sector.
"I have to tell you that our operation against a group of infiltrating terrorists in Keran sector is still on. The operations have entered the eighth day today (Wednesday) and the group of terrorists have been effectively cordoned off," Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh, General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, told reporters.
He said a group of 30-35 guerrillas had crossed into the Indian side of the LOC eight days back and was surrounded by the alert army troops, engaging them in a gunfight in which 15 guerrillas have been killed while five soldiers sustained injuries.
"There is no village involved. Yesterday (Tuesday) also, there was some infiltration in the area probably to help the militants in the cordoned area.
"The cordon is effective and I am proud of our soldiers who are committed.
"The cordoned area is 9,000 to 10,000 ft above sea level and in dense forests. There is undergrowth and also some rocky area which could have some caves. It is possible they (militants) have made a small hideout there.
"I request you to wait. I cannot give you any details. Those would affect the operation," he said.
Replying to a question about some media channels reporting that some unoccupied, empty posts of the army had been taken over by the guerrillas, he said, "I have visited the area yesterday (Tuesday). We will never allow anybody to even raise eyes at our posts. All posts are intact. The cordon is in our control and the operation is in progress.
"We have seen that this infiltration was by a large number of militants. Be patient and have faith in your soldiers."
The corps commander added that no posts on the LOC in the sector were left unoccupied or vacated by the army.
"No post has been left unoccupied by us when the operation started. We will not let them escape," he said.
It must be mentioned that some news reports had said a village on the LOC was taken over by a group of guerrillas on the Indian side and they also occupied some army posts left vacant by the soldiers in the sector.