Click to play videoPoonch: The gunbattle between terrorists and the Army continues in Mendhar for the seventh day. Around 10 terrorists are still holed up in the Bhatidhar forest area.
Army para commandos entered the forest on Tuesday and aerial surveys were conducted. The terrorists are believed to be hiding in natural caves and are well-stocked.
"We blasted one of the cave hideouts. We found food materials and fibre sheets," said DIG Kamal Saini.
Security forces say, two notorious outfits, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba have been operating from Poonch. These outfits have been working in close coordination with each other for several years now.
The encounter with terrorists began on December 31. Six days after the security forces cordoned the area. Since then, three security men including a JCO have lost their lives.
Four terrorists have been killed though their bodies have not been recovered yet. The tough terrain, thick fog and low visibility are making things all the more difficult for the security forces.
"We are taking cautious steps so that we don't lose more men," said Saini.
Meanwhile, citizens in the area are in grip of fear.
The encounter is long drawn because of the difficult topography. The priority of the forces is not to wrap up the gunbattle fast, but to minimise casualties.
Chief of the Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor says that the operation in Mendhar is to ensure maximum attrition of the terrorists keeping minimum casualties.
"Unlike an encounter in a place like Mumbai - where civilians were involved and innocent people were going to be harmed - this is a deliberate operation that we carried out to ensure maximum attrition of the terrorists and to ensure that we do not suffer casualties, that's why we are taking time. The fact that the outcrop there is rocky and there are natural caves giving them shelter as well as a place from where they can keep hiding," he said.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister AK Antony has also said that the Army's plan is to flush out the militants while avoiding casualties.
"The Army has a specific plan. They plan to flush out the militants with minimum casualties," he stated."
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