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Two soldiers injured, intruder killed, in BAT attack along LoC

Last Updated 19 February 2018, 14:26 IST

In a first such attack this year, Pakistani soldiers on Monday carried out Border Action Team (BAT) attack along the Line of Control (LoC) in Khari Karmara sector of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir injuring two Indian soldiers.

"A BAT of Pakistani army launched an attack on a patrol operating in between the two posts inside the Indian territory. The Indian troopers bravely repulsed the attack, but two soldiers were critically injured in the attack," sources said and added that one intruder was also killed in the retaliatory action by the army.

 "The BAT team was seen retreating to the Pakistani post on the LoC while the body of the intruder was recovered. He was wearing combat fatigues," the source said.

The critically injured soldiers were airlifted to a hospital in Udhampur for treatment.

"The ambush, carried out by the BAT of the Pakistan army, could have inflicted more damages if Indian troops weren't alert. The Army is on high alert and is ready to thwart BAT attacks. However, as Pakistani army gave covering fire, the BAT wearing black combat uniform could cross over the LoC. They assaulted Indian Army's Area Domination Patrol but had to retreat after retaliation," they said.

A senior army officer said that Pakistani Army has deployed several battalions of the 'Mujahid Force Regiment', which is part of its dreaded BAT, along the LoC and the international border (IB) to help terrorists infiltrate and target Indian troops.

Recently, Northern Command chief Lt Gen Devraj Anbu had stated that over 300 militants were waiting across LoC to infiltrate into the Indian territory.

Sources said the infiltration attempt could rise in the coming days as the weather has started opening-up in some of the areas.

"With infiltration attempts, BAT attacks too would increase in coming months. However, the Army has devised its strategy accordingly and they are maintaining high alert along LoC in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri not only to tackle the ceasefire violations but also to foil BAT attacks," they added.

Defence experts say that Pakistan's Special Services Group (SSG) forms the core of the BAT, besides, dreaded terrorists from Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad outfits, for trans-LoC action up to a depth of one to three kilometre.

"As Indian posts are closer to Pakistan in Poonch sector, the rugged terrain and thicker forests give BATs an advantage to escape. The BAT usually mutilates the bodies of Indian soldiers to wage psychological warfare," they said.

The BAT camps, unlike the largely make-shift terror-training camps and launch pads across the LoC, consist of around 40-50 Pakistan Army regulars and commandos being specially trained for cross-border raids and ambushes, experts said.

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(Published 19 February 2018, 14:08 IST)

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