Areesh
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A newspaper report about India losing more than 20 soldiers in an operation in Turtuk on August 29 and the Army's subsequent denial, has exposed yet another dimension to the ongoing skirmishes across the Line of Control.
Senior army officers now admit that the Pakistani men in khaki could have been occupying at least a few posts on the Indian side of the LoC for "some time now".
"Now, when we begin to take up positions very close to the LoC and look in detail at the demarcation on the ground, we find some posts under Pakistani occupation. These positions were originally on our side, but have been part of no man's land for a long time," said a senior army headquarters officer.
He admitted that there have been a few operations after Operation Vijay was formally called off, to evict Pakistanis from certain heights "which technically fall under Indian territory but have been lying vacant for a long period".
Senior officers also admitted that Pakistanis could have been occupying some of these heights for a "long period". When asked if that meant a few years, he said, "It cannot be ruled out".
The Indian army on Wednesday denied a report that Pakistan has been occupying an Indian post in Turtuk sub-sector and that an operation launched on August 29 to evict them failed, resulting in 19 being killed and six missing. The report had said the army and the government were now desperate to cover up the failure.
The army on Wednesday claimed that the "news item about an attack to recapture Durga Post is incorrect. This post has always been under our occupation."
The army also reiterated that "no Indian territory in the Turtuk sector has been lost to Pakistan. However, since positions in this area have been occupied for the first time by both sides post-Operation Vijay, aggressive patrolling is going on by both sides. This area also experiences far more shelling than other areas in the Kargil sector".
The army headquarters further said on "29/30 August, casualties suffered by the Indian Army in Sub Sector Haneefuddin were six soldiers killed and six missing. Out of the missing soldiers belonging to 3 Rajput, two have been returned by Pakistan. The remaining four personnel are believed to have been killed. Their bodies have not been recovered so far."
Army sources said the operation was repulsed and it was "a fiasco on our part", with almost the entire company being wiped out by the Pakistanis who were well entrenched. A senior official admitted that it is highly possible that the Pakistani regulars have been occupying some of the "no man's land for a long time now". He said now when the Indian army is taking up posts close to the LoC and demarcation is closely looked at, there are positions which are under the occupation of Pakistan which are on the Indian side of the LoC.
Rediff On The NeT: Army admits Pak maybe occupying Indian posts
Whole company wiped out. Good work AK regiment.