Official details on poonch
A senior police officer said the terrorists believed to have sneaked in August from Balakote before reaching Nar Khas forests and Chamrer.
While thick forests of Nar Khas having natural caves in Mendhar and hilly terrain of Chamrer in Surankote continue to give a tough time to the Army in flushing out terrorists, believed to be two to three in groups, sources within the security establishment were miffed over the failure of intelligence agencies in Poonch district that led to the killing of nine soldiers within four days.
Para action is on, but there is nothing conclusive so far. Drones and a helicopter are being used in Nar Khas but there is no breakthrough. The search operations are on in both the places—Nar Khas and Chamrer,” said an Army officer.
An Army source said on Monday when five soldiers were killed in Chamrer area of Surankote, the terrorists were hiding at vantage positions and had opened fire from two different directions.
While bodies of the two soldiers were found on Thursday that of JCO and the fourth soldier was found on Saturday.
Sources within the establishment also flagged the issue of sharing parallel intelligence.
They also divulged that the practice of deploying two intelligence men in each border village has also faded away in recent times.
“Nothing substantive was shared by intelligence agencies before five of our men were downed on Monday in Chamrer. Now, if these terrorists are there since August, it clearly shows the failure of intelligence agencies and at the same time local support to them cannot be denied,” they said.
Army Chief reaches Jammu; thick forests of Nar Khas and hilly terrain of Chamrer give a tough time to Army in flushing out terrorists; security establishment miffed over intelligence failure in Poonch
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