SRI NAGAR: Despite twin militant attacks on its men in south Kashmir in which a soldier was killed and three others, including an officer, injured, the Army on Monday said non-initiation of combat operations (NICO) would remain in force and troops would retaliate strongly if and when attacked. Militants attacked 50 Rashtriya Rifles camp at Kakapora area in Pulwama district last evening, firing indiscriminately at the Army posts from automatic weapons.
The fire was returned by the troops and in the exchange, an Army man and a civilian were critically injured. Both succumbed to injuries in the hospital. Some hours later, militants detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) on Turkwangan road near Zainapora in Shopian when an Army armoured vehicle was passing through the area. The vehicle was damaged and three soldiers were injured in the blast.
A police officer said the bomb disposal squad recovered another IED from the site, thus averting a tragedy. Despite the attacks, the Army said NICO would remain n force. “It is a conditional ceasefire. If our men come under attack, they won’t sit like lame ducks but will retaliate with full force. They will chase the militants involved and can corner them at any place,” he said.
“The rules of engagement will be followed. If we are fired upon, we will retaliate. We have to respond to the fire.” The official, however, reiterated that the Army won’t be initiating the operations. “We have stopped active anti-militancy operations like cordon and search operations or intelligence-based search and destroy operations.” Although the security forces have halted active anti-militancy operations after Ramzan ceasefire came into effect on May 16, the militants have carried out some gun and grenade attacks. They have also snatched five rifles from the policemen in the month of Ramzan. Militants also looted `1.72 lakh from Jammu and Kashmir Bank at Srigufwara in Anantnag on Monday