Sunjwan attack: 3 terrorists among 9 killed; NIA officials arrive in J&K

Jammu: The Army on Sunday put on the death toll in a terror attack on an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sunjwan at nine as the Army Chief General Bipin Rawat arrived here to review the anti-terrorist operation which is still underway at the site. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team also reached Sunjwan Army Camp to take stock of the situation after the terrorist attack.

Reviewing earlier casualty figures, Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Devendra Anand said three terrorists had been killed in the fighting that broke out before dawn on Saturday at the Sunjuwan Army station in Jammu city.

It was earlier reported that four terrorists were killed in the ensuing military operation in Sunjwan.

The Defence spokesman, however, said that he could only confirm the killing of only three attackers. 

According to him, all the attackers were in Army fatigues. 

"Five soldiers have been martyred in this operation. The father of a soldier also lost his life. So far, we have killed three terrorists," Col Anand told the media. 

All the five soldiers, who were killed, belonged to Jammu and Kashmir. 

"Search and sanitization operation is still on inside the camp. AK-56 rifles, a grenade launcher, ammunition and grenades have been seized from the dead terrorists," Col Anand said.

Ten other persons, including six women and children, were injured in the attack. 

The spokesperson said Army doctors worked through the night to save the life of a severely injured pregnant lady who delivered a baby girl through Caesarian surgery.

A 14-year-old boy with a gunshot wound in the head remains critical, he said.

Asked if more terrorists could still be holed up inside the camp, the official neither denied nor confirmed the possibility. The fighting has lasted more than 30 hours.

The audacious attack was blamed on the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad militants who sneaked into the Army base station around 4.45 am on Saturday.

The terrorists - whose nationality is not known - entered the Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) quarters while everyone was asleep.

Para-commandos from the Army's Udhampur-headquartered Northern Command were flown to flush out the militants. 

The Air Force provided aerial surveillance.

(With Agency inputs)