New Delhi: The Indian Army on Tuesday briefed the media in wake of the recent infiltration attempts by Pakistan along the Line of Control despite a ceasefire pact between the two countries in February this year.

The recent Uri operation was the key focus of the media briefing, regarding which Major General Virendra Vats, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 19 Infantry Division of the Indian Army, said that the infiltration attempt was made in the area of Salamabad Nallah, the same pocket that witnessed a suicide attack at in 2016.

The Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police last week eliminated 3 terrorists in the Rampur sector near Uri along the Line of Control.

Post the operation, security forces recovered a massive cache of arms and ammunition, including five AK-47 rifles, eight pistols, 70 hand grenades and several rounds of cartridges from the slain terrorists.

“One terrorist was neutralized, while another was caught during an operation in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The operation was carried out over 9 days along the LoC in Uri. It started on September 18, when our patrol along LoC detected infiltration movement. When the encounter took place, 2 infiltrators came across the border, while 4 were on the other side,” the Army officer said.

Following a fierce gunfight, the 4 terrorists from Pakistan took advantage of the dense foliage and retracted, while 2 terrorists sneaked into the Indian side. Additional forces were mobilised to corner these 2 terrorists.

“On September 25, an encounter ensued, during which one terrorist was neutralised, while another was caught. The surrendered terrorist in custody identified himself as Ali Babar Patra from Pakistan’s Punjab. He has admitted that he is a member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and was trained by the terror group in Muzaffarabad,” the Major General said.

Ali Babar Patra, the LeT terrorist from Okhara, Punjab in Pakistan who surrendered in Uri.

Notably, Vats said that this infiltration attempt was made in the area of Salamabad nallah, the same place through which India has had had a history of infiltration in 2016 when a suicide attack was carried out at the Uri Garrison.

“It has also revealed that this infiltration group was supported from Pakistan by 3 porters who had come till the LoC along with supplies. The movement of such large group of people can’t take place without active complicity of the Pakistani Army deployed on the other side,” Major General Vats said.

There have been several movements at terror launch pads across the Line of Control lately. In the last 7 days, 7 terrorists have been neutralised, while 1 terrorist has been captured by the Indian Army.

“7 AK series weapons, 9 pistols and revolvers and more than 80 grenades and Indian and Pakistani currency were recovered after the Uri operation, and the one that took place on September 18 in the surrounding areas,” the Army officer informed.

Lt General DP Pandey, Corps Commander of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, told reporters that one of the terrorists was a Pakistani national.

“…A movement was observed in Hathlanga forest, Rampur sector. In a brief operation, the attempt was eliminated, with the neutralization of 3 terrorists. A similar attempt was made on (September) 18, which was foiled. We are alert, deployed with adequate forces along the LoC and we will ensure that all bids are eliminated,” he said, stressing that the counter-infiltration force of the Indian Army is very strong.

Pandey had earlier said that while there have been a few infiltration bids lately, they were not “adequately supported” by ceasefire violations.

“We are totally prepared for ceasefire violations, if anything happens, we are all set to respond appropriately. But, frankly, there has been no instigation from across the border,” the General Officer Commanding (GoC) of 15 Corps said.