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In a suicide attack, Pakistan-based Lasher-e-Tayiba militants on Monday stormed an army camp at Magam in Kupwara district killing five soldiers and injuring eight, defence sources said.
They said the militants equipped with sophisticated weapons exploded grenades and fired at troops at around 0230 hours (IST) resulting in the casualties.
The Let claimed responsibility for the attack saying one of its activists Abu Hamzah was involved in the attack.
Minutes later, militants attacked another army installation at Zachaldara, also in Kupwara district, injuring five soldiers, the sources said.
The troops retaliated killing one militant.
The attack on the two army camps comes close on the heels of a major offensive launched by security forces against militants during the last few days resulting in heavy casualties for the latter.
Notably, 18 militants were killed on Sunday in Poonch district in the biggest operation of its kind in the last one year.
In a separate incident, three LeT militants had been killed by security forces in Mandi area of Poonch district on Sunday night.
On Monday, seven militants, mostly foreigners, were killed in two gun battles with army search parties in the frontier district of Kupwara, a defence spokesman said.
He said arms and a large quantity of ammunition were recovered from the ultras.
Meanwhile, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday foiled an attempt by militants to attack Amarnath pilgrims with the arrest of two Harkat-ul-Ansar ultras, a senior BSF official said.
Earlier, militants shot dead four members of a family and abducted another person at Bhatatote in Doda district on Sunday night. The dead were Mohammad Shafi, his wife Fatima, daughter Janoo and brother Mian.
Two militants were killed and a jawan was injured in two separate encounters in Jammu early on Sunday.
In another major encounter, he said army troops eliminated six unidentified militants in Baramulla district on Sunday night.
The militants were killed when troops of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry launched an operation in Janbaazpora after an army convoy on its way to Handwar from Baramulla was ambushed on Sunday, the spokesman said.
A police spokesman said two of the slain militants were in combat uniform and identified as members of the LeT. A jawan was killed and four others were injured in the operation.
However, local residents accused the army of killing four innocent youths along with two militants. The four youths had earlier been arrested by the security forces after militants ambushed their convoy, they alleged.
The police spokesman said another militant was killed by the army in Uri sector of Baramulla district on Sunday night, adding army also shot dead a company commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, Gulza Mohammad Khan at Satoor-Larnu in Anantnag district on Sunday night.
A surrendered militant turned counter-insurgent, Firdous Ahmad alias 'Setha' of Muslim Mujahideen group was shot dead by ultras in Anantnag district on Sunday night, the spokesman said.
He said unidentified gunmen also shot dead two scooter-borne persons at Chakoora in Pulwama district on Sunday evening.
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