Asked how far the place was from the Uri base attacked by militants, the official said, “I can’t give you details because of operational sensitivity”.
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Army sources in Delhi which had initially put the number of terrorists killed at 10 later clarified that the extent of casualties can be ascertained only after the retrieval of the bodies from the dense jungles and that the operations were still underway.
Indian television channels reported on Tuesday that India and Pakistan had exchanged fire across the heavily militarised frontier, but Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said no shot had been fired by Pakistan.
“The secretary reiterated the need for Pakistan to prevent all terrorists from using Pakistani territory as safe havens”, the State Department said after Kerry met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in NY.
Another incursion attempt was foiled in the Nowgam sector near the LoC in Kupwara, also 100 km north of Srinagar, a police source said.
The Press Trust of India news agency said 10 suspected militants had been killed in the incident but this could not immediately be confirmed.
Earlier Tuesday, Kalia said Pakistani soldiers violated the 2003 cease-fire accord between India and Pakistan by firing bullets at an Indian military position from across the heavily fortified frontier in Uri region, where early Sunday four suspected rebels killed 18 Indian soldiers in an audacious attack on a crucial military base.
Seventeen soldiers died and many others were injured in the terrorist attack on an army base in Uri, Kashmir on 18 September.
“This second infiltration bid (in Nowgam) by an unknown number of terrorists has also been foiled and the operation is on”.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to punish those responsible for Sunday’s attack. Four terrorists were killed in each of the operations. Tuesday’s exchange was the first since Sunday’s attack, which the Indian army has blamed on Jaish-e-Mohammad.
Pakistan has rejected India’s claims as “unfounded and premature”.
Pakistan denies any role in the raid, one of the deadliest in the divided Himalayan region over which India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars.
US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said that the US want to see more progress from Pakistan in dealing with the terror groups effectively.
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Tens of thousands of people have died in the fighting, majority civilians.
