Poonch: 5 Army personnel, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), were killed in a confrontation with terrorists during an anti-insurgency operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Monday. According to a Defence spokesman, the operation began in the early morning hours in a village near Dera Ki Gali (DKG) in Surankote after they received intelligence inputs concerning the presence of terrorists. In the Rajouri sector, 4 encounters have recently taken place – Daddal in Nowshera, Sunderbani and Pangai in Thannamandi and Karyote.
According to him, the ultras opened fire on the search party, critically injuring the Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and four other ranks. All five troops died as a result of their wounds. The battle with the terrorists is still ongoing, according to the spokesman, and more information is pending. Officials stated there had been reports of a gang of heavily armed terrorists hiding in Chamrer woodland after sneaking across the Line of Control (LoC).
As per sources, reinforcements have been dispatched to the region to shut all escape routes and neutralise the terrorists. Earlier in February, a ceasefire between India and Pakistan along the effective boundary was proclaimed. Tensions have risen anew in recent weeks as a militant organisation has claimed responsibility for a series of shootings of civilians in the area, including two teachers last week.