Forces Launch Final Assault After Suicide Attack On BSF Camp In Srinagar.

SRINAGAR:Four suicide attackers carrying a massive amount of explosives broke into a Border Security Force (BSF) camp near the Srinagar airport before dawn today and opened fire, killing a soldier. Three terrorists were killed in an eight-hour operation after which security forces stormed the campus for the remaining terrorist.

Around 11.30 am, the forces launched a final assault for the terrorist still hiding in the sprawling, hilly BSF camp, which shares a wall with an air force station. Flights were suspended at the Srinagar airport for over five hours and long delays were anticipated.

Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed’s “Afzal Guru squad” has claimed the attack.

The terrorists in military fatigues breached four layers of security at BSF’s 182 battalion at 3.45 am, when it was still dark. They fired indiscriminately and threw grenades. The soldiers retaliated and shot down one of the attackers. The body of a BSF jawan was found during searches.

Three wounded soldiers are in hospital.

Gunfire and explosions were heard for hours as the forces, including Quick Action Teams and members of the Special Operations Group, fought the terrorists and cornered them. Home Ministry sources have expressed concern that the terrorists were able to cut through multiple layers of security.

The BSF camp is situated close to the Srinagar Civil and Technical airport, which is used by the armed forces and VIPs. The BSF guards one side of the airport’s outer ring.

There has been a spurt in infiltration attempts by terrorists from across the border over the past few weeks but in sheer audacity, today’s attack has been compared to the one over a year ago in Uri.

In September last, 19 soldiers were killed when terrorists from Pakistan attacked an Army base in Uri. A few days later, the Army carried out surgical strikes across the Line of Control targeting staging areas for terrorists planning to attack Indian cities.