Jammu, May 31: Operation "Sarp Vinash", launched in Hilkaka area in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district last month to flush out militants, would continue, a senior army officer said today. "We have killed 63 ultras and recovered a huge quantity of arms and explosives during the operation in Surankote tehsil," Lt. Gen. T P S Brar told reporters at Nagrota, some 12 kms from here.
He said the operation was necessitated as Hilkaka area had become a transit route for militants between the Line of Control and Poonch and Doda districts.
Militants had also set up communication centres there, Lt. Gen. Brar said.
He said army had done a lot of planning on the basis of intelligence reports before launching the operation.
Helipads were built in the area for landing of choppers for logistic support, he said.
Replying to a question on the use of MI-17 choppers as gunships to block militant hideouts, Lt. Gen. Brar said reports in this regard were incorrect.
He, however, added only one Chetak helicopter fitted with machine gun was used by army during the operation.
"If groups of ultras are present anywhere, we launch operation to track them down," he said, adding there were no reports that command centres or control centres of ultras existed anywhere. Bureau Report