Three militants and a civilian were killed, and a Junior Commissioned Officer of army was injured in fierce gun battle that raged in Tanghdar sector near LoC in Kupwara district on Wednesday morning when the three militants stormed into an army camp.The attack is the second of its kind in the border area of north Kashmir after militants in May this year attacked a military hospital, in which five militants and a civilian were killed.Quoting army sources, KNS correspondent from Karnah said that at around 6:15 this morning, three militants attacked the 3/1 GR camp at Kulsuri Ridge from the rear side of the battalion headquarters in Tanghdar.Positioning themselves at a mountainous ridge near the camp, the militants fired firearms and grenade launchers toward army barracks that houses 80 soldiers. As the firing started this morning, the militants first fired the generator of the camp, setting it aflame to cut off the electricity.
A civilian, Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh, 25, was killed when the gunfire started. “Tanveer was employed as generator operator with the camp. He is survived by his wife and a toddler,” the residents of Karnah said.The fierce gun battle raged for 7-long hours and ended in the afternoon. Army air dropped para commandoes to fight with the militants.The JCO, identified as V K Reddy, injured in the attack, has been shifted to Drugmulla hospital for treatment.Army spokesman in Srinagar Colonel N N Joshi told KNS that three militants and a civilian were killed, and one soldier was injured in the operation.“Army is searching and combing the whole area before calling off the operation,” Col Joshi told KNS.He said that the identity of the militants is yet to be established and how the militants reached near the camp will be investigated though a proper procedure. He said more details about the attack will be provided after the operation is called off.Meanwhile, Jaish-e-Mohammad militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack on the army camp.In a tele-statement to KNS, Jaish spokesman Mohammad Hassan Shah said three fidayeens attacked the army camp in Tanghdar near LoC. (KNS)