New Delhi: Three terrorists attempting to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) were killed in a fierce gun battle that erupted along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir, Thursday evening.
The incident unfolded in the Poonch’s Khari Karmara area of the LoC. Army personnel, noticing suspicious movement, immediately alerted nearby posts, triggering a swift response. As the terrorists emerged, security forces engaged them in a firefight.
Initially, security forces gunned down terrorists while a third reportedly escaped back into PoK. After a comprehensive search operation to ensure no terrorists were hiding in the area, security forces killed the third terrorist.
This infiltration attempt comes amid heightened security along the border, following intelligence warnings about potential attacks. Simultaneous searches are being conducted in the Doda and Kathua districts of Jammu, based on reports of terrorists descending from higher altitudes towards the plains.
The recent incident marks a shift from the relatively calm situation in Poonch and Rajouri districts throughout 2024. While these areas experienced a significant decline in militant activity last year, a concerning surge in activity has been observed in neighbouring districts including Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Udhampur, and Jammu.
According to the army sources, the intensified searches in Doda and Kathua are part of a larger anti-militancy strategy and an area-domination exercise, carried out in anticipation of the increased activity expected with the onset of summer. This operation follows the recent visit of J&K’s Director General of Police, Nalin Prabhat, to the strategically vital Basantgarh area.
