Jammu- In yet another attack on security forces, five army personnel were killed and five injured on Monday when terrorists ambushed their vehicle in the remote hilly terrain of Kathua district, officials said.
Officials informed that terrorists hurled a grenade and opened fire targeting Army vehicles which were on a routine patrol on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road near Badnota village in Lohai Malhar, Billawar around 150 km from district headquarters Kathua.
They said an army truck in which 10 soldiers were travelling was attacked at an isolated location. “After grenades, terrorists opened indiscriminate fire on the vehicle. However, security forces retaliated but the terrorists fled into the nearby forest and took advantage of dense vegetation,” an officer engaged in the operation said, adding, “An intermittent exchange of firing occurred between the terrorists and security forces for few minutes, but it is believed the terrorists are hiding in the forest as no fresh firing is reported.”
Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to trace down and neutralise the terrorists, an official said, adding a total of 10 troopers were injured and four of them later succumbed to their injuries.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh expressed his condolences for the soldiers who were martyred in the ongoing encounter in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir.
He assured the public that he is in constant touch with the authorities, including the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police of Kathua. The operation against the terrorists is a joint effort between the police and paramilitary forces.
Dr. Singh appealed to the civilian population to stay calm and assured them of the security forces’ capability to handle the situation. He emphasized the importance of community cooperation during such incidents and reaffirmed the government’s support and gratitude towards the armed forces.
First Such Ambush In Kathua
This was the first such ambush in Kathua district. Earlier, during the peak of terrorism, Kathua was one of the districts which remained least affected. However, from the past few years, the entire Jammu has been high on the terror radar with these attacks being reported from areas known to be free of terrorism.
This is the second major terror attack in Kathua. On June 11 and 12, two suspected terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Kathua and a large quantity of arms and ammunition, dry fruits, medicines, batteries, walkie talkie sets were recovered from them.
This was followed by the June 9 attack on pilgrims’ bus in Reasi, when it was returning from Shiv Khori cave temple in which nine people were killed and 33 injured in the incident. The attack was carried out on the directions of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Hamza.
The Chenab Valley comprising Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts and the Pir Panjal region comprising Rajouri and Poonch districts in Jammu have witnessed targeted attacks and infiltration from across the border in the past three years, a senior government official said.
Doda district was rocked by twin terror attacks on June 11 and 12. On June 11, six security personnel were injured when terrorists attacked a joint check post at Chattargalla, while a police personnel was injured in a gunfight with terrorists at Kota top in the Gandoh area on June 12.
On June 26, three terrorists were killed during an encounter with security forces in a forest area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district.
Amid a spate of terror attacks in the past three days in the Jammu region, security agencies suspect that three or four groups of terrorists, some of them who are fresh infiltrators, are on the move in the Reasi, Doda and Kathua areas.
A top government source said that since mid-2021, at least 30 terror attacks have occurred in the Jammu division, pointing to sustained bids to revive terrorism in the region after the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution was abrogated on August 5, 2019.
Reactions
Three former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday also condemned the terror attack on Army personnel in Kathua.
The three former CMs — Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Ghulam Nabi Azad — reacted to sharply to terrorists ambushing an Army truck in remote Machedi area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district killing four personnel and injuring six others. The fifth personnel succumbed to his injuries later.
“Terrible news from Kathua. It’s a very bad day when you lose four brave army personnel in the line of duty. I condemn the attack unequivocally and send my heartfelt condolences to the families. I hope the injured make a swift & complete recovery,” Abdullah, who is the vice president of the National Conference (NC), posted on X.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, while condemning the attack, said it was an indication of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Condemn the terror attack in Kathua that claimed the lives of four soldiers. Tragic & equally shocking that they are losing their lives in the line of duty in places where one found little to no trace of militancy before 2019.
“Tells you all there is to know about the current security situation in J&K. Deepest condolences to their families,” she said in a post on X.
Azad also expressed his grief over the incident.
“Deeply saddened and strongly condemn the ambush on an army vehicle by terrorists in Kathua, resulting in the tragic loss of four jawans and injuries to six others. The rise in terrorism in Jammu province is deeply concerning.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured and their families. The government must act decisively to tackle terrorism and ensure public safety!” DPAP president Ghulam Nabi Azad posted on X. (inputs from KNO)
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