Jammu: Three soldiers, five militants killed in attacks at Nagrota Army base, BSF camp

JAMMU: Two major terror attacks rocked Jammu region today in which 7 army personnel, including a Major, were killed and eight other securitymen, including a BSF DIG, were injured, before six heavily-armed terrorists were eliminated in the separate fierce encounters. In one incident, a group of heavily-armed terrorists in police uniform stormed an army unit in Nagrota, about three kms from the Corps headquarters on the outskirts of Jammu city this morning, triggering an intense gunbattle that lasted for hours. Seven army personnel, including two officers, were killed in this attack before three terrorists were killed in an armed stand-off which also involved a hostage-like situation with 12 soldiers, two ladies and two children being held captive. All were rescued, army spokesman said. Three terrorists were gunned down by BSF in Ramgarh area of Samba near the International Border after an encounter that lasted several hours and was followed by intense cross-border firing by Pakistani troops. Four security personnel, including BSF DIG, were injured in this incident. The two terror incidents in Jammu came on a day Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa took over as Chief of Pakistan Army from Gen Raheel Shareef. Giving details of the Nagrota attack, army spokesman said in the early hours of today, a group of heavily-armed terrorists, disguised in police uniform, targeted the army unit located three kms from the Corps Headquarters. "The terrorists forced their entry into the Officers' Mess complex by throwing grenades and firing at the sentries," the spokesman said. "In the initial counter action, one officer and three soldiers of the army were martyred," he added. The terrorists entered two buildings which were occupied by officers, families and men, which "led to a hostage-like situation", he said. "The situation was very quickly contained and thereafter, in a deliberate operation, all were successfully rescued, which included 12 soldiers, two ladies and two children," the spokesman said. "However, in this rescue attempt, one more officer and two jawans sacrificed their lives," he added. In the gunbattle, three terrorists were killed. "Bodies of three terrorists have been recovered and operations are in progress to santise the complete area," the spokesman said.