Five soldiers of the Indian Army lost their lives and six others were injured when terrorists ambushed a military convoy in the Machedi area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on Monday. The convoy, which was on a routine patrol along the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road, was attacked approximately 150 km from Kathua.
The injured personnel were immediately transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
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The attack began with terrorists hurling a grenade at the convoy, followed by heavy gunfire. Security forces retaliated, but the terrorists managed to escape into the dense forest, according to official reports.
Reinforcements were promptly dispatched, and a search operation was launched to locate the assailants. The exchange of gunfire between the terrorists and security forces continued intermittently.
Second attack in 48 hours
This assault marks the second attack on the Indian Army in the Jammu region within the last 48 hours. On Sunday, an Army camp in Rajouri district was targeted, resulting in one soldier being injured.
Monday’s attack occurred just 24 hours after six terrorists were killed in two separate encounters in Kulgam district. These encounters, which started on Saturday, also claimed the lives of two soldiers, including a para-trooper, and left another soldier injured, according to police statements.
The first encounter took place in Modergam village when security forces, comprising the CRPF, Army, and local police, initiated a search operation based on intelligence about terrorist activity. During the initial gunfire, a para-trooper was killed.
The operation intensified into a full-scale assault on a house where the terrorists had taken refuge. By late Saturday night, the house was destroyed, and the bodies of two terrorists were recovered.
The second gunbattle
Simultaneously, another intense gun battle occurred in Kulgam’s Frisal area. Drone footage revealed the bodies of four terrorists after the lengthy firefight. One soldier was killed, and another was injured during this confrontation.
The four terrorists killed in Frisal were identified as Yawar Bashir Dar, Zahid Ahmad Dar, Tawheed Ahmad Rather, and Shakeel ah Wani. The two in Modergam were identified as Faisal and Adil.
Para Commando Lance Naik Pradeep Nain was killed in action in Modergam, while Havaldar Raj Kumar of 1 Rashtriya Rifles was killed in Frisal.
Firing near Army camp
In a separate incident in Rajouri district, reports indicated firing near an army camp, with one soldier injured. Initial reports suggested a possible terror attack on the Manjakote army camp, but the army has not yet confirmed these details.
Security sources on Sunday revealed that a Pakistan-based operative of the Resistance Front, a faction of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, was behind the recent surge in terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. Identified as Saifullah Sajid Jatt from Shangamanga village in Pakistan’s Punjab, the NIA has labelled him a “hardcore terrorist” and placed a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head.
The Reasi attack
Jammu and Kashmir has experienced a series of terror attacks in recent months. Last month, terrorists fired upon a bus carrying pilgrims, causing it to plunge into a gorge in Reasi district, resulting in nine deaths. Days later, two armed terrorists opened fire in a village, leading to a gunfight in which a CRPF personnel was killed. The terrorists were subsequently neutralized.
Also Read: 3 foreign terrorists involved in attack on civilian bus in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi: Report
Three terrorists were also killed in a fierce gunfight with security forces in the Gandoh area of Doda district. These individuals were believed to be involved in recent attacks on the Army and police in the Kashmir Valley. A substantial cache of arms and ammunition, including US-made M4 carbines, was recovered from them.
PM Modi on terror attacks
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed Parliament, asserting that the fight against terrorism in J&K is in its final stages. He emphasized that a comprehensive strategy is being implemented to dismantle the remaining terrorist networks.
“Our fight against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, in a way, is in its last stage, last leg. We are moving with a multi-pronged strategy to eliminate the remaining terror network there,” PM Modi stated.
