Army vehicle ambushed in Kathua, five soldiers killed

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, July 8

In yet another terror attack on the Army in Jammu and Kashmir, five soldiers were killed and another five injured when a group of terrorists ambushed their vehicle in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district on Monday.

Jaish offshoot claims responsibility for attack

The terrorists hurled a grenade and opened fire at the Army vehicle near Badnota village in the mountainous Machedi area. When the security forces retaliated, the terrorists fled into a nearby forest. A search operation was underway. It is believed that the attack, fifth such incident in Jammu region in a month, was carried out by a group of two-three terrorists.

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The deceased included one junior commissioned officer (JCO), one havildar, one naik and two riflemen. They belonged to a unit of the 22 Garhwal Rifles. Their identity was not revealed till late evening. The injured were shifted to Pathankot military hospital.

Billawar SHO Jatinder Singh, who was on the spot, confirmed the death of five soldiers. Reinforcements, which included columns of the Army and Special Operations Group of the J&K Police, were rushed to the area to neutralise the terrorists, who are believed to have recently infiltrated from across the border. Kashmir Tigers, a shadow outfit of the banned Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.

Sources said the Army truck was on a regular patrol on the Machedi-Malhar road. The area has been a traditional route for terrorists who infiltrate through the International Border in Kathua. The ultras usually take a route from Billawar to Basantgarh in Udhampur and then to Kishtwar or Doda district.

The attack came a day after a soldier was injured in a firing by terrorists in Rajouri’s Manjakote. The Machedi area is already under the radar of security forces after the June 11 encounter in Hiranagar in which two ultras were shot dead and a CRPF jawan died. Doda, Kathua and Reasi districts too witnessed major terror-related incidents last month.