Rajouri: An infiltration attempt by two to three Pakistani terrorists near the Line of Control in the Sunderbani area of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday (July 18) was thwarted by the Indian Army and Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF engaged in firing, forcing the infiltrators to retreat back across the border.
There was no report of any casualty so far. This comes amid back-to-back terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
It is pertinent to mention since the beginning of this year, a total of 27 individuals have been killed in nearly a dozen terror attacks across six districts of Jammu province. Among them were 11 security personnel, one village defence guard, and five terrorists.
Two soldiers injured as another encounter breaks out in Doda
At least two soldiers sustained injuries as another encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district in the wee hours of Thursday. According to the police, the encounter erupted in Jaddan Bata village in the Kastigarh area around 2 am when terrorists opened fire on the security search parties.
The officials said that soldiers suffered minor injuries in the terrorist firing, adding efforts are on to flush out the terrorists. This comes two days after four Army personnel were killed in action while battling terrorists in the Doda region. Following this, a massive search operation was launched in Desa and adjoining forest areas on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
Surge in terror attacks
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.
