The troops have destroyed several bunkers of the infiltrators on this 15,000-foot mountain and gained ground positions, advancing at 19 points.

An agency report said a dozen guns pulverised the post and high, grey plumes rose from the mountain. Indian gunners roared victoriously as soldiers on the mountain confirmed the success of the mission. The guns were fired to the left and right of the post to prevent the intruders from escaping. Ground troops were clambering up the mountain.

Pakistani shells, meanwhile, hit a truck on the highway which overturned, disrupting traffic.

Elsewhere, having encircled the intruders at various points, the troops launched heavy artillery and mortar shelling in high mountainous ridges of the two sectors and in Mushkoh Valley which hadbeen pounded earlier by jets. Drass and Nubra valley continued to be pounded by the Pakistanis. A narrow mountain path being used for supplies to Tololing Peak came under severe attack, choking the supply lines. Chutuk in Batalik also faced intense Pakistani firing.

The ridge between Chorbat La and Turtok had come under heavy shelling from the Pakistani side yesterday causing widespread panic among residents of nearby villages. However, reinforcements from Srinagar reached on time to prevent the situation from worsening. As operations were stepped up in Batalik and Kaksar late last night, Cheetah helicopters bringing in the wounded from Batalik and ambulances shuttling between the helipad and the field ambulance unit here became a familiar sight. The casualties were mainly bullet and splinter injuries.

Five soldiers were killed in Kaksar yesterday as they tried to recover a ridge-line at 17,000 feet in the dead of night. ``It was a heroic action. Unfortunately, as they advanced, the enemy fired almost 100flares, lighting up the night sky. The enemy then aimed at our soldiers, climbing the snow ladder, and shot them,'' an officer said. ``Even though our boys were climbing the ladder and had been hit, they fired at the enemy, killing two of them. It is a bloody war here.''

Kargil Brigade Commander Brigadier Surendra Singh, who was camping in Kaksar since May 28, returned to Kargil today as additional forces moved in here, but the brigade headquarters remained tightlipped about the numbers and operational details.

However, officers expressed optimism. ``Our operations are only at night and visibility is poor. But things are going to change for the better as we are getting better equipment,'' an officer in Batalik told The Indian Express.