Army convoy fired upon by terrorists in JK's Poonch, search operations launched
On Thursday, Army Chief Manoj Pande termed the increase in terror incident in Poonch-Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir as a “worrying issue”.
Jammu Kashmir News: A convoy of Army vehicles was attacked by suspected terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir Poonch district on fridaynight. Officials said the terrorists opened fire on an army convoy in a forest area of the border district around 6 p.m., prompting security forces to launch a search operation in the region.
There were no casualties among security personnel, they said.
“Around 6 pm today, a convoy of security forces vehicles was fired upon by suspected terrorists from a jungle near Krishna Ghati in Poonch sector,” the Army's White Night Corps said on X.
“A joint search operation between the Indian Army and police is underway,” the report said.
#WATCH | J&K: Security has been heightened in Poonch after suspected terrorists fired at a convoy of security forces vehicles.
No casualties among own troops. Joint search operations by Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police are underway: White Knight Corps of Indian Army pic.twitter.com/EcZOHsnHYF
— ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2024
The vehicles that were attacked were taking security personnel back to the camp, officials said.
A senior police officer said no one was injured in the incident and both the commander and other army personnel were safe, adding that a search operation has been launched in the area.
STORY | Suspected terrorists fire at army vehicles in JK's Poonch; no one injured
VIDEO| Security has been beefed up in Poonch after suspected terrorists fired at a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel earlier today. pic.twitter.com/5mlKmG4fW8
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 12, 2024
The incident came after a high-level security meeting chaired by Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, the commander of the Northern Army, to chalk out a counter-terror operations plan for the new year to thwart the plan of terrorists in the region.
Revival of terror in Rajouri-Poonch sector
A similar ambush on army vehicles took place in Poonch's Dhatya Morh in Dera Ki Gali area on December 21. Four army personnel were killed in the attack.
Rajouri and Poonch districts, which were peaceful in the past, have witnessed targeted attacks by terrorists on the army and civilians, they said.
Nineteen soldiers were killed in four attacks by the terrorists in Rajouri and Poonch in 2023. However, last year, security forces eliminated more than thirty terrorists in the two districts, both along the Line of Control and in the hinterland.
Over the past two weeks, high-level security meetings were chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to discuss the situation in the Rajouri-Poonch region.
Terror hideout in Rajouri busted
On Thursday, the CRPF busted a terrorist hideout during a cordon-and-search operation (CASO) in nearby Rajouri district and recovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs) placed in tiffin boxes and around 20 bullets from AK assault rifles series.
A CASO was launched by the soldiers of Company C of the 237th Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the border town following inputs from the intelligence wing of the force deployed in the Jammu region, officials said.
They said that CRPF troops, along with the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, carried out the joint operation in the Hayatpura-Manjakot area of the district and during searches concealed four IEDs in tiffin boxes, 23 live bullets from AK assault rifles, a wireless set and a tape recorder were recovered.
'A point of concern,' says army chief
Talking about the recent increase in terrorist activities in the Poonch-Rajouri sector, Army Chief General Manoj Pande on Thursday said the situation was a “matter of concern” in the last five to six months.
General Pande alleged that India's adversaries are encouraging proxy wars in the area as they are unable to handle peace and normalcy in the Kashmir Valley.
“The situation and terrorist activities in Rajouri and Poonch in the last five to six months are a matter of concern to us. By 2003, terrorism had completely spread in this area and peace was established until 2017-2018. As peace comes to the valley, our adversaries are encouraging proxy wars in the area. Pakistan Army is trying to orchestrate terrorism in Rajouri Poonch area.” CoAS General Manoj Pande said this at the annual press conference ahead of Army Day on January 15.
'Terror infrastructure continues'
The army chief said the ceasefire along the Line of Control remains in force even though there have been infiltration attempts that the army has successfully thwarted.
“As far as the situation in JK is concerned, the LoC ceasefire remains in force. Even as we see infiltration attempts, which we have been able to thwart… We have a strong anti-drone mechanism to stop the use of drones for smuggling of weapons and narcotics,” General Pande said.
But without naming Pakistan, the army chief said support for terrorist infrastructure from across the border continues.
“Terrorist activities have increased in Rajouri Poonch area. Support infrastructure for proxy tandems in Rajouri Poonch sector from across the border continues…' the Army Chief added.
(With input from agencies)