On Sunday August 11 gunfights between security forces and terrorists broke out in Kishtwar district Jammu and Kashmir. According to officials the exchanges of fire occurred at the Paddar Batam Bridge area – one of the location where search operations are underway. General Upendra Dwivedi who is in charge of Indian army along with all ranks paid tribute to two brave individuals Sergeant Dipak Kumar Yadav and Lance naik Praveen Sharma who laid down their lives for their country in Anantnag. In Ahlan Gandole area of Kokernag separated from other parts it was reported that two soldiers died during territorial conflict between them and militants on Saturday but two civilians and three army men suffered injuries.

“Investigations are underway on the terror backgrounds of these two injured civilians,” said the Army. “On Saturday, every injured individual was transported to the hospital for immediate medical care, including those two civilians.” With respect to the Kokernag gunfight, the Army issued a statement about it over the weekend. The statement read: The terrorists responsible for crimes and incidents taking place in Doda area on July 24 had earlier been confided in through both human and electronic means on August 5. They secretly crossed Kisthwar range into this district of Kapran Garol located within South Kashmir. The Rashtriya Rifleman (RR) and Jammu&Kashmir Police have since been going after them without any let-up during August 9 and 10 when they conducted specific operations against mountain hideouts near kapran where these terrorists were hiding.

It was about 2:00 PM on the 10th of August that suspicious activities were detected. Terrorists responded immediately with rash, wild and aimless gun shots that injured two army soldiers alongside nearby civilians. The army further reported that they were working to establish the terror past of these injured civilians. Dense undergrowth, huge boulders and fast flowing water bodies have significantly affected operations at the encounter site above 10,000 ft altitude.