READ ALSO: ​

Kashmiris reject poll boycott calls with record 71% turnout

Army soldiers search for militants as smoke rises from a bunker after a gunbattle in Mohra in Uri, north Kashmir.

My heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed in the 4 attacks today. I hope @HMOIndia takes steps to plug the gaps in C I grid. — Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) December 5, 2014

Uri, where the militants attacked the Army camp, is close to the line of control between India and Pakistan.

125 crore Indians bow to our brave Army men who sacrificed their lives. These men lived & died for the nation. We won't forget them. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2014

Attacks in J&K are condemnable. They are desperate attempts to derail the atmosphere of hope & goodwill as seen by increased voter turnout. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2014

Soldiers seen near the bodies of the terrorists killed during the encounter in Uri.

SRINAGAR: After two weeks of enthusiasm over an exceptionally high voter turnout in the two phases of the ongoing assembly elections, terrorists struck at four different places across the Kashmir valley on Friday, killing over 11 security forces including a lieutenant colonel.Six terrorists have been killed in retaliation at two places, official sources said.Two days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled public rally in the summer capital, six to seven terrorists attacked an Army camp at Mohra, Uri in Baramulla district, over 100km from Srinagar, in the wee hours of Friday killing seven soldiers and three cops including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI). Five of the terrorists were killed in retaliation by the troops.Uri is close to the line of control (LoC) between India and Pakistan.In Ahmad Nagar in Soura, Srinagar district, terrorists traveling in a car opened fire on police during a routine check. A terrorist was killed when police retaliated while another took refuge in a residential house. Police and paramilitary forces cordoned off the house and an encounter has ensued.Over 50km from Srinagar, in Shopian, a hand grenade attack on a police station shattered the window panes of the DSP’s residential quarter. There were however, no casualties.In the fourth attack, police said, terrorists hurled a grenade in Tral Bus stand, Pulwama district, killing two people and injuring 9 others.The attack on the 32 Field Regiment in Uri sector of Barmulla district in north Kashmir killed at least 14 people including a lieutenant colonel, assistant sub-inspector of police and five Pakistani terrorists.Speaking on the condition anonymity, a senior Army officer commanding the operation confirmed to TOI that it was a “fidayeen” (suicide) attack. “The exact number of terrorists is not known but they are believed to be Pakistanis. They killed three police men on the road outside our Army camp, ASI Mohammad Akbar Lone, head constable Abdul Majid and constable Sanjay Koul. We believe they entered the camp from the gate through the road which lacks a concrete boundary,” he said.“Lt Colonel Sankalp Kumar of 24 Punjab Regiment of Raipur was also killed in the exchange of fire besides three other soldiers. We have killed five terrorists so far and a combing operation is underway for the remaining fidayeen,” he added.The infiltrators were divided into two groups with one group entering the Army camp and the other engaging the troops at the gate. The officer said that the operation is headed by Lt Col Gurawah Jain and Lt Col Surinder Singh.According to the officer, the infiltrators were clad in kameez-salwar (ethnic tunic-trousers) and armed with AK-47 rifles and hand grenades. He said SHO of Uri police station Latif Durrani was also injured. “Though the firing has stopped, a few fidayeen could still be holed-up inside the camp,” he added.Defence spokesman based in 15 Corps here in a statement said , a group of heavily armed and well equipped terrorists opened a heavy volume of fire with automatic weapons at an Army camp in Mohura at around 3am on Friday. The encounter between the Army and the group of terrorists lasted just over six hours, the spokesman said.“During the initial part of the operation, one terrorist opened fire on the vehicles of the quarters of the neighbouring unit rushing to the site, in which one gypsy (vehicle) went off the road and overturned, leading to casualties among the troops. The terrorist was immediately eliminated by the troops of the headquarters and his body recovered," the spokesman added.The spokesman said, during the operation, a barrack also caught fire, presumably because of a kerosene heater toppling, in which some soldiers got trapped. During the deliberate clearing-up operations which commenced thereafter, the bodies of five more terrorists were recovered, the spokesman added.Six Kalashnikov rifles with 55 magazines, two shotguns, 2 night-vision binoculars, 4 radio sets, 32 unused grenades, 1 medical kit and a large quantity of miscellaneous warlike stores were recovered from the slain terrorists, the defence spokesman said.In another attack, terrorists hurled a grenade in Tral bus stand, Pulwama district, killing two people and injuring 9 others, police said.Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah condemning the terror attacks said the attack on the army camp in Uri was a "desperate attempt". "Once again shows the desperate levels militants will go to disrupt peace and normalcy," Omar said on Twitter.Founder of Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and "aamir" of its political arm, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Hafiz Saeed, declared after the terror attacks in Kashmir declared on Twitter: "Ghazwae Hind is inevitable, Kashmir will be freed, 1971 Will be avenged and Ahmedabad Gujrat victims will get justice Insha Allah #IjtimaJuD (sic)"The attacks comes just days ahead of PM Modi’s December 8 visit when he is scheduled to address an election rally in Srinagar. The third phase of assembly elections are under way in the state with Uri and Baramulla district going to polls on December 9.This section of the LoC is significant for being the transit point for the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service and trading between two parts of Kashmir. No infiltration has occurred here since the early 90s.