Three Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) fidayeen were killed as troops of the Border Security Force (BSF) repulsed a suicide attack on their camp adjacent to the highly fortified Srinagar International Airport on Tuesday. However, one junior BSF officer succumbed to fidayeen’s bullets at Army’s Base Hospital in Srinagar. Three other security officers injured in the attack are recuperating in the hospital. The deceased BSF officer has been identified as ASI BK Yadav.
The 10-hour long gun-battle began around 4.30 am after terrorists stormed the camp of 182 Battalion of the BSF. The troops of the camp are entrusted with the security of airport tarmac in the capital city. This is the second suicide attack targeting security formations in Kashmir Valley in last five weeks.
Sources said the mercenaries stormed the BSF camp from Gogo village and carried out several blasts inside the camp before being detected by troopers. One fidayeen was killed in the initial round of gunfight. later, two other fidayeen were shot dead. Automatic rifles and other ammunition were recovered from the gunfight site.
Addressing the media about the details of the attack, Kashmir-range Inspector General of Police Muneer Ahmad Khan said the slain terrorists were from the same JeM, which carried out attack on district police lines in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on August 26 that culminated into the death of 11 people, including 3 fidayeen, 4 CRPF personnel, and 4 policemen. “They breached the BSF camp by cutting a fence between Friends Colony and Gogoland,” the IGP said.
Several influential people, including serving and former bureaucrats, police officials and politicians, reside in Friends Colony area. The IGP, flanked by IG BSF Sonali Mishra, said such attacks will keep happening till terrorists are roaming in Kashmir.
The IGP confirmed that the terrorists belonged to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. “The attack was carried out by a group that had infiltrated during August, I believe. The terrorists were 16-17 in number. We will verify this,” he said, adding that the 10 among those terrorists have been neutralised.
Khan added, “There has to be different strategies to neutralise the terrorists as they usually come up as fidayeen attackers.” Khan termed the operation as a paragon example of coordination among security forces. “The operation was delayed to ensure zero collateral damage. The operation ended at 1 pm,” he told the media.
“There was no attack on the airport, as claimed in some media reports. This was not a setback. Attack was repulsed very effectively. All these things will keep happening, as long as Pakistan is our neighbour. These attacks will continue till there is militancy in Kashmir. Only one flight coming from Delhi to Srinagar was delayed,” he said.
Meanwhile, Airports Authority of India Director said the attack caused delay in flights in the morning but they were resumed during the day. “All flights to and from Srinagar have been resumed from Srinagar International Airport,” he said.