A civilian and an Army jawan were killed during a gunfight between suspected militants and security forces in Pulwama district on Sunday night, reported Greater Kashmir.
The encounter began around 10.15 pm when militants fired at the Army’s 50 Rashtriya Rifles camp at Kakapora, said the police. “The militants first lobbed a grenade and later fired towards the camp,” an unidentified official told Greater Kashmir. “Soldiers retaliated the fire, triggering a brief gun battle in which a civilian and a soldier were injured.” The civilian, identified as Bilal Ahmad Ganie, and the soldier succumbed to their injuries.
This is the first major attack on the Army in Kashmir after the government announced unilateral ceasefire during Ramzan month, according to NDTV. However, the union home minister’s office had said that the the security forces could retaliate if attacked, “or if essential to protect the lives of innocent people”.
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