?Army Chief Bipin Rawat on Wednesday issued a strong warning to those who back terrorists during counter-insurgency operations.
AFP
"Those who obstruct our operations during encounters and aren't supportive will be treated as overground workers of terrorists," the Army chief said while paying tributes to the martyred soldiers in Delhi.
He also said that those extending support to the terror organisation won't be spared.
"If locals who want to continue with terror by displaying flags of ISIS and Pakistan then we'll treat them as anti-nationals."
This comes in wake of the growing trend of locals disrupting counter-insurgency operations and providing cover to terrorists during encounters in the Kashmir valley.
On Tuesday, a Pakistani terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba managed to escape in a similar circumstance even though another one was killed during a gunfight at Hajjin area of Bandipora district in north Kashmir causing heavy causalities to the army.
Also, four soldiers including Major Satish Dahiya were martyred in two gunfights in Bandipora and Handwara areas.