This is the second major loss that the army has suffered in the last two weeks.
Srinagar:
A fresh encounter is underway in the Kandi forest area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district today where five special forces soldiers were killed on Friday.
According to Army, one terrorist has been killed while another likely to be injured.
A massive reinforcement of troops was rushed to the region as part of ‘Operation Trinetra’ to flush out terrorists who are believed to be entrenched in caves in the forest areas.
“In the ongoing operation in the Kandi forest in Rajouri sector, contact has been established with terrorists at 0115h on May 6, 2023, and firing started,” a defense spokesman said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to visit Rajouri today to review the situation on the ground. Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, the Jammu and Kashmir Police DGP and other top officers are already supervising the anti-terrorist operation that is underway.
Yesterday, five soldiers who were part of the army’s assault team of elite special forces to flush out terrorists were killed in an IED blast during the operation. An officer of the special forces was critically injured in the process.
This is the second major loss that the army has suffered in the last two weeks. On April 20, five soldiers were killed when an army truck they were travelling in was ambushed by terrorists at Bhata Durian in Poonch.
After killing the soldiers, the terrorists set the truck on fire and decamped with the weapons of the fallen armymen.
Following the attack, a major manhunt was launched in the Poonch-Rajouri region. According to the police, around a dozen heavily armed terrorists are present in the region.
During a large-scale crackdown, the police detained over 200 people for questioning and arrested at least six persons for helping terrorists responsible for the attack on the army truck. This led to resentment among locals and a villager died by suicide alleging torture by the police.
Meanwhile, a terrorist was killed in a separate encounter in the Karhama Kunzer area of Baramulla today, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said.
“Encounter has started at Karhama Kunzer area of Baramulla. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” tweeted the Kashmir Zone Police.