An Army spokesman said in New Delhi on Sunday that the high casualties in the terror attack on the Army base in Uri, Kashmir were due to the transition tents.
The spokesman said: “The administrative base had a large strength of troops of units turning over after their tour of duty. Soldiers were stationed in tents and temporary shelters, which caught fire, and resulted in heavy casualties.”
Smoke billowed during the exchange of fire. The fighting went on for three hours till 8.30 a.m.
“Of the 17 casualties, 13-14 were due to the tents/shelters catching fire,” Lt. Gen. Singh said. In the evening, the Army was still searching the area around the complex and clearance operations were on. Lt. Gen. Singh said four AK-47 rifles and four under barrel grenade launchers along with a large number of war-like stores were recovered.
The unprecedented casualty figure — the highest in 27 years in the Valley — was due to the transition tents erected for redeployment of troops and unit change.
In the past too attacks had taken place during such troops shifts which are generally kept under wraps. Officials said the transition time is seen as a relatively easier time to target as new troops are taking position and the guard tends to get lowered.
The Uri brigade guards the LoC of north Kashmir’s Kupwara and Baramulla district with around 15,000 troops. On December 5, 2014, Jaish-e-Muhammad fidayeen attacked the Mohura camp in Uri, leaving 17 dead, including 11 security personnel.
Sunday’s attack comes just six days after four infiltrators took position in a government building near the Army headquarters in Poonch. It also comes 10 days after Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag visited north Kashmir in the wake of increased infiltration bids.
