Doda Encounter: Kashmir Tigers, a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), has claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district. In the attack, four army personnel, including an officer, were killed following a gunfight with heavily armed terrorists.
'Kashmir Tigers' is the same group that previously claimed responsibility for the attack on an Army convoy in Kathua on July 9.
'Kashmir Tigers' claims responsibility
In a statement, the Kashmir Tigers said, "Kashmir Tigers claim responsibility for the attack on Indian Army in Desa area of Doda. An exchange of gunfire took place between Kashmir Tigers and the joint search party of the Indian Army and the Jammu Police in the dense forest of Desa Dhari Kothi area of Doda. The search party of the Indian Army approached the Mujahideen, the Mujahideen who had already laid an ambush and opened fire on the Indian Army. An exchange of fire took place between the Mujahideen and the Indian Army for 20 minutes. In this attack by Mujahideen, 12 officers including a Captain of the Indian Army were killed and 6 injured. The enemy was trying unsuccessfully to hide his loss which would soon be exposed. This war will continue till the Freedom of Kashmir."
Doda encounter
Four army personnel, including an officer, succumbed to injuries sustained in a gunfight with heavily armed terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district. This was the third significant encounter between security forces and terrorists in the Doda district forests in the past three weeks.
The latest incident follows a week after a terrorist ambush on an Army patrol in the remote Machedi forest belt in Kathua district, which claimed the lives of five soldiers and injured several others.
The Jammu region, which remained relatively peaceful between 2005 and 2021 after security forces wiped out decades-long terrorism, witnessed a spike in terror attacks over the past month. It included an attack on a pilgrim bus that left nine persons dead and 40 injured.
Terror activities resurfaced in October 2021 from the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. Some of the deadly attacks that spread to Reasi, Kathua and Doda were attributed by the security establishment as an attempt by Pakistani handlers to revive terrorism in the Jammu region.
Over 70 people, including 52 security personnel -- mostly from the Army -- have been killed in terror-related incidents in the Jammu region since 2021. Most of the casualties were from Rajouri and Poonch districts where 54 terrorists were also eliminated, the officials said.
(Input: Rahi Kapoor)
