Army deploys elite units along LoC

Army has increased its arsenal by equipping its soldiers with new sniper rifles— having range of about 1000 meters—to foil ‘infiltration bids’ along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

A defence official, while talking to Greater Kashmir saidthat “elite units of Army deployed along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir have beenprovided with the new US and Italian made snipers after proper training from USand Italian experts. The move is aimed to curb infiltration,” the officialsaid.

   

According to police this year so far, 93 militants,including over 25 foreign militants, have been killed in different encountersacross the Valley. “None of the foreign militants have been killed along theLoC while infiltrating,” the police had stated recently. 

‘LATEST SNIPERS WILL PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE’

The defence official said that since temperatures in Kashmirhave started to rise, snow would melt and the passes to sneak in would open up.”To ensure zero infiltration, latest snipers will play a crucial role,” heclaimed.

Elaborating about the new snipers provided to the Armyunits, he said soldiers deployed along LoC are carrying the Beretta .338 LapuaMagnum Scorpio TGT and the Barrett .50 calibre M95. “These rifles have a muchlonger range and power than the Russian made snipers being used by the soldiersso far.  These snipers can fix thetargets at the range of over 1,000 metres,” he said.

The US-made Barrett M95 is an anti-material rifle which hasa range of 1,800 metres.  “Ananti-material rifle means the bullet can actually pierce through metal,” theofficial said.

Another defence official said that the rifle feeds from afive-round detachable box magazine, and is lighter and more compact thanearlier products. “Other riffles provided to the soldiers at LoC is the VictrixArmaments .338 Lapua Magnum Scorpio TGT, owned by Italian firm Beretta,” theofficial said.

He said that Scorpio TGT was developed in the 1980s was usedin the Afghanistan war and the Iraq war. A source in the Army said that theprocurement of new snipers has been made by the Northern Army Commander throughhis special financial powers to augment the firepower of the soldiers along theLoC.

“These snipers are multipurpose—to counter infiltration andto give befitting  response—to theceasefire violation from across the LoC,” the source said. “Army is ready todeal with any situation that emerges in the ensuing summer months along theLoC. There are apprehensions that militants in large groups may try to sneak ingiven the series of successful operations against militants in the hinterland.”

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