On Monday, five Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO), were killed. Five others were injured in a sneak attack by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s border district of Kathua. It prompted the Army to launch a massive search operation alongside local police and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).
According to Army and police officials, the incident occurred at about 3.30 p.m. outside Badnote Hamlet. Which is 152 kilometers from the district headquarters. “The terrorists first tossed a hand grenade towards the Army vehicles and then opened fire on them using automatic weapons,” they added. Adding that the Army men killed and injured in the sneak attack were on normal patrol duty on Kathua’s Machedi-Kindli-Malhar Road.
According to Kathua, security personnel have encircled the wooded region where terrorists are believed to have taken refuge after carrying out the attack. Meanwhile, the Army has deployed transport helicopters to airdrop personnel from the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces). Para (SF), in the Mandli sub-sector, which is near the site of the attack. The article also stated that the Army may also utilize combat helicopters to better effectively fight terrorists.
According to the police, the terrorist gang responsible for the attack may have infiltrated Kashmir. They recently broke the International Border (IB) with Pakistan along the Kathua-Samba-Jammu area.
Following the sneak strike, which coincided with the 8th death anniversary of popular Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. After that, the Army engaged the militants in a gunfight that was still ongoing, according to the latest reports.
However, some reports indicate that the militants fled the scene and ran into nearby woods after targeting the Army vehicles. A massive cordon-and-search operation was launched in the area. The injured soldiers were transported to the hospital, according to the reports. According to doctors, four soldiers were brought to the hospital dead, while two soldiers were critically injured. Later, one more injured soldier, Naik Vinod Kumar, succumbed to death in the hospital, bringing the total to five.