Uri attack 'suspects' return to Pakistan

Islamabad, March 10 (IANS Two Pakistani youths who were initially suspected of being involved in the terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, and freed two days ago after charges against them could not be proved, crossed the border into Pakistan on Friday .

Faisal Hussain Awan and Ahsan Khursheed were initially suspected of being involved in the September 2016 attack which left 19 Indian soldiers dead. India has blamed Pakistani militant group Jaish-e-Mohamed for the assault.

Indian border authorities handed over Awan and Khursheed to the Pakistan Army at the Wagah-Attari border. They were on Friday received at the Wagah border crossing by their families, Dawn online reported.

The two youths, who are reported to be Class 10 students, were arrested in a joint operation by India's Border Security Force and the Army at Angoor Post in Uri town a few days after the September 18 Uri attack. They were suspected to have acted as "guides" for the militants.

They were brought to the National Investigation Agency headquarters for interrogation.

The NIA last week clarified that the two had run away from home to avoid studies and filed a closure report in the case. The probe agency on Wednesday handed them over to the Indian Army.

--IANS

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