Srinagar, India: On Friday evening, terrorists in Srinagar attacked Army vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch, prompting the soldiers within to return fire. Fortunately, there are no reports of injuries or deaths at this time. Reports suggest that the terrorists may have escaped after the initial exchange of gunfire, which included pellets fired from a nearby hill in the Krishna Ghati area. The Army, along with the Jammu and Kashmir Police, has initiated a joint search operation.
“At around 1800 hours, a convoy of security forces’ vehicles was fired upon by suspected terrorists from a jungle near Krishna Ghati in the Poonch sector. No casualties reported. Joint search operations by Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Indian Army are in progress,” stated the Army.
This attack occurred as high-ranking officers, including Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command, are in Poonch to strategize responses to frequent terror strikes.
This incident marks the second terrorist attack on the Army in this region within the past few weeks, following an ambush in Poonch’s Dera Ki Gali that killed four soldiers and injured five others. The recent attack, in the Krishna Ghati sector, occurred 40 km from the previous incident.
The Pir Panjal region, encompassing Rajouri and Poonch, had remained free from terrorism since 2003, but major attacks have resurged since October 2021. In the last seven months, 20 soldiers, including officers and battalions, have been killed. Over 35 soldiers have lost their lives in action in these areas in the past two years.
Army Chief General Manoj Pande, on Thursday, mentioned that India’s adversaries, likely referring to Pakistan, continue to play an “active part” in supporting terrorists in the Rajouri and Poonch areas.
General Pande expressed concern about the recent increase in terrorism in Rajouri and Poonch over the last five to six months, attributing it to the normalization of the situation in the Valley. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach, outlining a nine-point action plan to improve the situation in Rajouri. This plan includes enhanced intelligence gathering, better coordination with police and other security forces, outreach to local populations, and a commitment to respecting human rights, especially following the death of three civilians who were detained for questioning after a terror attack in Poonch that claimed the lives of four soldiers.
