Jammu, Dec 7 (IANS) A forest fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K’s Poonch district on Sunday triggered several landmine blasts, officials said.

Officials said that more than half a dozen landmines exploded due to the forest fire in Poonch.

“Forest fire broke out in the Balakote forest along the zero line at around 10 am, detonating over six landmines in the anti-infiltration obstacle system,” an official said.

“There was no report of any damage in the explosions,” the official added.

The fire was still raging, and efforts were on to douse the flames, the officials added.

The forward areas close to the zero line along the LoC are dotted with landmines as part of an elaborate anti-infiltration obstacle system to prevent terrorists from intruding into this side from across the border.

Army troops patrolling the LoC on a 24/7 basis have extensive maps to ward off the mined area during patrol.

The rare incidents of a patrolling soldier stepping on a landmine happen due to what are technically called the ‘drift mines’, which, in defence parlance, are ones that have drifted from their original place due to rain, floods and other weather phenomena.

The anti-infiltration obstacle system is also in place along the International Border in J&K, which runs for 240 km, compared to the 740-km-long LoC.

The army guards the LoC situated in the Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora districts of the Valley and Poonch, Rajouri, and partly in the Jammu district of the Jammu division.

The international border is situated in Jammu, Sabha, and Kathua districts of the Jammu division.

–IANS

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