NEW DELHI: 13 armed intruders have been killed in relentless 96-hour operation along the Line of Control (LoC) to thwart Pakistan's attempt to upsurge terror activities in Ramazan in the Kashmir valley, said Indian Army on Saturday. "The sinister designs of Pakistan Army to push-in multiple groups of armed intruders across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir continues to be defeated by proactive operations being carried out on the border," Defence spokesman of Northern Command said.

He said the continuous operations mounted by the troops have successfully intercepted groups of armed intruders all along the LoC in Gurez, Machhil, Naugam and Uri sectors, leading to the elimination of 13 armed intruders in the past 96 hours. The figures include groups of four and three armed intruders who were tracked and eliminated in the Machhil and Naugam sectors respectively as reported on June 8, the spokesman said.

Since then, the operations in Uri and Gurez sectors have further progressed. Five armed intruders have been killed in Uri so far and one intruder has been killed in the Gurez sector close to the LoC, he added. The spokesman said the explosives, inflammable material, arms and ammunition recovered from the armed intruders indicate Pakistan's designs to orchestrate high profile terror incidents targeting innocent civilian population and security forces during the holy month of Ramazan.

Forty-four armed militants have been killed as the Army foiled a total of 24 infiltration bids along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir this year, a senior Army officer said.