The President strongly condemned outrageous terrorist attack on Army base in Uri. A militant uprising and subsequent army crackdown since 1989 have killed more than 68,000 people.
Advertisement
Mr. Singh said there were definite and credible indications that the attackers were “highly trained, heavily armed and specially equipped”. India, the sources said, could raise the Uri attack at the United Nations General Assembly, which is in session in NY. Most of the Army casualties resulted from the fire in tents in which jawans were sleeping. The fire also engulfed the nearby barracks, official sources said.
The Home Minister postponed his scheduled visit to Russian Federation and the United States in the wake of the terror attack.
Lt. General Ranbir Singh said that some items recovered from terrorists were carry Pakistan markings.
The base houses about 12,000 soldiers in temporary and permanent shelters.
“We salute the supreme sacrifice made by our courageous soldiers following the highest traditions of Indian Army”.
Helicopters from the Army’s 19 divisional headquarters in Baramulla have been pressed into service and the injured Army personnel have been evacuated from the encounter site, the sources said.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh directly attacked Pakistan saying it was a “terrorist state” and should be isolated.
The Raj Bhavan spokesperson informed that after the militant arrack, Governor N.N. Vohra and Chief Minister Mufti had held urgent consultations and made a decision to convene an emergency Security Review meeting later in the day.
This is the first major attack on an Army installation in Uri sector in almost two years.
A similar type of attack took place in the same region in 2014 when 10 soldiers were killed.
Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the two gained independence from British rule in 1947. Post return from Russian Federation, he was to again leave on a week-long visit to the US on September 27 to attend the Homeland Security dialogue.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti strongly condemned the Uri Attack.
“I have given instructions to the Home Secretary and other senior officers in MHA to closely monitor the situation in Jammu and Kashmir”, another tweet by Mr. Singh said.
The Home Minister also called an emergency meeting to review the situation arising out of the attack on the Brigade Headquarters in Uri.
Advertisement
Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Rajinder Khanna, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi were also present in the meeting.
