Indian Army chief reaches Jammu as militants kill 5 soldiers

SRINAGAR - Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat on Sunday arrived in the disputed territory and met senior commanders as an operation against a militant attack at an army camp entered its second day.

According to Indian media, five soldiers and a civilian died after freedom fighters stormed the Sunjuwan Army camp in Jammu on Saturday, in one of the worst terror attacks since Uri in 2016, in which 19 soldiers were killed, NDTV reported.


Over 24 hours after the army base was attacked by heavily-armed terrorists who wore army combat uniform, operations are still on. Nine people have been injured. Four militants have been killed so far, TV channel reported while quoting army sources.

At least two to three terrorists are still operating inside the base. On the other hand, Jammu has been on high alert and schools near the camp have also been closed, the report added.

Earlier, it was reported that in the early hours of Saturday, a group of heavily armed militants attacked the sprawling camp of the 36 brigade of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, leading to a gunbattle which left two army officials dead.

The attack coincides with the fifth death anniversary of Afzal Guru, hanged for his alleged role in the 2001 Parliament attack in New Delhi, as well as today's death anniversary of Maqbool Butt, another liberation fighter hanged in 1984.

A complete shutter-down strike is being observed in the occupied valley today with regard to Butt's death anniversary.

Rajwat said that there was no firing during the night and the focus continued to be the evacuation of people from the family quarters.