Having foiled the attempts in Turtuk, the Army action is now limited to Drass and Batalik sub-sectors. Of the initial ingress in these areas of about 7 km depth from the LOC, the Army troops have regained 3 to 3.5 km area in most places.

Having contained fresh infiltrations, the Army is now engaged in isolating Pak pickets from their rear areas, which sustain them. Progress is slow since troops are attacking along knife-edged ridge lines, preventing use of full combat potential. However, there are indicationsof the combined ground-air pressure forcing the enemy troops into a retrograde mode; in more than one place they left their weapons behind while retreating. Army officers believe that had the air power been used earlier -- instead of on May 26, when sorties were launched -- in support of the ground forces, the enemy's retreat may have been hastened.

The going would have been even more difficult had the Pak bid in the Turtuk area not been foiled. A ground attack by Pak troops on June 3-4 in this area was beaten back. But it was not till June 9, when 12 militants were captured with weapons, that the wider design to link this region with the Northern Areas was foiled. This included infiltration of militants into the area, to be followed up by ground and heliborne air operations.

Meanwhile, a sizeable area in Drass-Batalik, which was occupied has been reclaimed. How long will it take to restore status quo? The Army is not willing to hazard a guess, as that would set a punishing deadline that could result inhigher casualties of troops.

Doubts over the exact number of casualties expressed by some media persons notwithstanding, India has undoubtedly been far more transparent in the conduct of the battle. While Pakistan has been hedging its exact casualty figures, India has admitted to having lost 104 soldiers so far. Intelligence estimates based on signal intercepts put the enemy losses to at least 297 dead.

Having been caught off guard in the first place on the LOC, there is no way we could have gained the vital ground in mountains without suffering casualties. Unless of course, the Line of Control, which has been treated as inviolable all along, was breached. Most assaults are uphill against the trained, heavily-armed enemy dug in the mountain ridges 14,000 to 18,000 feet high, with all approaches covered by fire. Mountains are known to favour defenders, and if they are trained hillmen, as in this case, the assaults are bound to be exacting.

A terrain such as this requires leadership of the highest order.During the 1948 operations in this area General K S Thimayya, who was the GoC of the Division, reportedly sat in a vehicle in one of the leading columns which finally captured Zojila and the Drass area. In the ongoing assaults on hill tops in the Kargil sector the casualty list of the dead and injured is a pointer to the commendable role of the junior commanders.

This is the first time since Siachen that operations of this kind have been launched in such inhospitable terrain, where the tail to teeth ratio is very high. In order to sustain a party of 10, another 30 are required. Besides, the soldiers have to not only ward off direct hits but also guard against the splinter effect of rocks.

To deter the assaulting parties, Pak troops have been firing 130 mm medium guns, 105 mm howitzers, air defence guns in direct role, coaxial mounted guns on Infantry Combat Vehicles in ground configuration and mortars. To sanitise the hill tops in order to facilitate the foot soldiers, we too have been using integral areaweapons like 81 mm and 51 mm mortars, besides the 105 mm howitzers and 155 mm Bofors. Military experts feel that in the coming days, as the Indian troops close in on the LOC, air attacks must continue. They feel that since the IAF aircraft on pre-planned bombing missions fly on the Indian side along the LOC, there is little danger of their hitting the assaulting friendly parties.

Enemy battle order

Contrary to initial assessments that the bulk of infiltrators were a ragtag combination of foreign mercenaries and Kashmiri militants backed by the Pak Army, there are clear indications that the mainstay of the whole operation is the Gilgit-based Force Commander of the Northern Areas (FCNA).

Three of FCNA's brigades are poised against our troops in the area. While the formation conducting the current operation is the Skardu-based 62 Brigade, Pakistan has its 80 Brigade in Minimarg facing the Gurez area, while its 323 Brigade based at Dansam is pitted for a role in the Siachen Glacier area.

There areindications that either one or both battalions of the Pakistan Special Services Group (SSG) were prepared for a role in the Drass-Kargil-Turtuk area.

Pak troops with about 600-700 irregulars, who had occupied the heights in the Drass-Batalik area, are mainly from the three battalions of the Northern Light Infantry, the 3,4 and 6 battalions. Pakistan has a total of 14 NLI battalions, 10 of which are reportedly under the command of FCNA. It's estimated that as many as 2,000 soldiers and porters would have been used to sustain the intruders.

On the Indian side are elements of 3 Infantry Division and 8 Mountain Division engaged in recapturing the posts.

Enemy battle order

Contrary to initial assessments that the bulk of infiltrators were a ragtag combination of foreign mercenaries and Kashmiri militants backed by the Pak Army, there are clear indications that the mainstay of the whole operation is the Gilgit-based Force Commander of the Northern Areas (FCNA).

Three of FCNA's brigades are poisedagainst our troops in the area. While the formation conducting the current operation is the Skardu-based 62 Brigade, Pakistan has its 80 Brigade in Minimarg facing the Gurez area, while its 323 Brigade based at Dansam is pitted for a role in the Siachen Glacier area.

There are indications that either one or both battalions of the Pakistan Special Services Group (SSG) were prepared for a role in the Drass-Kargil-Turtuk area.

Pak troops with about 600-700 irregulars, who had occupied the heights in the Drass-Batalik area, are mainly from the three battalions of the Northern Light Infantry, the 3,4 and 6 battalions. Pakistan has a total of 14 NLI battalions, 10 of which are reportedly under the command of FCNA. It's estimated that as many as 2,000 soldiers and porters would have been used to sustain the intruders.

On the Indian side are elements of 3 Infantry Division and 8 Mountain Division engaged in recapturing the posts.