on the military side, there were 34 deaths: two army sergeants, three army corporals, four army privates, 2 navy lieutenants, 1 navy corporal, 4 naval cadets, 3 navy conscripts and 15 carabineros. in mid-september, the chilean military junta claimed its troops suffered another 16 dead and 100 injured by gunfire in mopping-up operations against allende supporters, and pinochet said: ""sadly there are still some armed groups who insist on attacking, which means that the military rules of wartime apply to them."" a press photographer also died in the crossfire while attempting to cover the event. on 23 october 1973, 23-year-old army corporal benjamín alfredo jaramillo ruz, who was serving with the "cazadores", became the first fatal casualty of the counterinsurgency operations in the mountainous area of alquihue in valdivia after being shot by a sniper. the chilean army suffered 12 killed in various clashes with mir guerrillas and gap fighters in october 1973.