Soldiers Go Missing, Army Launches Massive Op in J&K

A major combing operation has been launched by the Army following two soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), who went missing during an ongoing operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch.

The operation was started on Monday following which five soldiers were killed in an encounter. Sources said that the JCO and a soldier went missing after heavy firing from terrorists on Thursday evening. Contact with the JCO was lost on Thursday evening. Rifleman Yogambar Singh and Rifleman Vikram Singh Negi were killed in the encounter.

"In an ongoing Counter Terrorist operation in general area Nar Khas Forest, Mendhar Sub Division, District Poonch there has been exchange of fire between army troops and terrorists during evening hours on 14 Oct 2021. During the ensuing exchange of fire one JCO and one soldier have been critically injured. The operations are under progress. Update follows", the Army said in a statement.

A major operation was launched this morning in Nar Khas area in Mendhar to flush out terrorists believed to be hiding deep in the forests. Retrieving the bodies of those who have fallen is proving to be very challenging as the Army is having to cautiously advance deep into the forests. 

Reinforcements were rushed to the area in, what is turning out to be one of the longest counter terrorist operations. The operation has entered its sixth day and so far no terrorists have been killed. The Poonch-Jammu highway has been closed since Thursday evening. This is the first time in recent years that the army had to endure so many casualties in a single encounter.

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