Gurez (Kashmir): Foiling a major infiltration bid, Army has shot dead 15 militants trying to sneak into Indian territory from across the line of control (LoC) in Gurez sector of Jammu and Kashmir, a senior Army official said on September 29.

General Officer Commanding, 28 Infantry Division, Major General J K Mohanty, told reporters that the militants were killed at Gurez-Tilel in Baramulla district over a period of six days after Ladakh scouts observed suspicious movement in Baraub area on September 21.

"This was a rare and classic operation conducted in an extremely rugged terrain under adverse weather conditions in which 15 terrorists were killed in a period of six days," he said.

Mohanty said the scouts, after establishing contact with the militants, forced them to flee towards the forest area, leaving behind their arms and ammunition and war-like stores.

According to an Army official who was associated with the operation, hand-held thermal imagers were used to tighten the noose around the infiltrators who were scattered over a large area.

PTI