Day after killing of four soldiers, two suspects detained in J&K’s Poonch

Srinagar: A day after four soldiers were killed in an ambush by armed terrorists near Dehra Ki Gali (DKG) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, security forces Friday launched a massive operation in the rugged upper reaches of the region with two suspects being detained.

The duo were detained near the site of the attack. The security forces suspect them of having information about the attackers, sources said. Besides, a massive cordon-and-search-operation was launched in the upper reaches of Rajouri and Poonch with sniffer dogs and drones pressed into service to track down the militants.

Security forces through meticulous intelligence network and unwavering perseverance, are trying to close in on the terrorists hiding in dense woods of the hilly region, they added.

The General-officer-Commanding (GoC), XVI corps, Lt Gen Sandeep Jain, who visited the area to review the situation with top Army and police officers, is personally monitoring the operation to flush out hiding terrorists.

The Thanamandi-Buffliaz road connecting Rajouri with Poonch has also been shut for vehicular traffic and people have been asked to take the Bhimber Gali road.

Three to four terrorists had reportedly taken position on hill tops along the road and ambushed two Army vehicles when they slowed down at a blind turn injuring seven soldiers. While four soldiers succumbed to their injuries, three more are battling for their lives in hospital.

The latest attack reinforces the trend of fewer yet more impactful and high visibility terror attacks in the areas south of Pir Panjal as compared to Kashmir Valley. 51 people, including 24 terrorists, 20 security personnel and seven civilians have been killed this year in the region.

Pakistan’s changed strategy and lesser presence of security forces are claimed to be some of the reasons behind the spike in terror attacks in twin border districts in the last two years.

After operation ‘Sarp Vinash’ was undertaken by the Army to flush out terrorists who had made bases in the Hilkaka Poonch-Surankote area of the Pir Panjal range during April-May 2003, peace had returned to the region. However, militancy started getting ugly in Rajouri and Poonch districts in 2020 again.

South of Pir Panjal range, where Rajouri and Poonch districts lie, has a hilly terrain spread over 4,304 square kilometres with the LoC meandering along the two border districts that till date remains the most preferred route of infiltration for Pakistani terrorists.

According to sources, militants are using high-tech gadgets like pre-programmed drones for weapon dropping and offline applications for escape routes which provide them a cover in the area.