New DelhiThursday’s horrific attack on an army truck in Poonch that killed five soldiers was an ambush by a group of Pakistani terrorists who are believed to have carried out attacks in the past ThePrint has received this information.
Sources in the defense and security establishment told ThePrint that the truck was forced to stop due to wooden logs placed on the road.
When two soldiers got down to remove the logs, the terrorists started firing, he said. One of the deceased soldiers had multiple bullet injuries, he said.
Sources said two grenade pins were recovered from the spot, which would mean that at least two were hurled at the truck. However, it is believed that the truck caught fire due to a burst fuel tank.
Sources said the truck was carrying food and kerosene among other goods when it was attacked.
He said security forces have launched a massive manhunt to nab the culprits – there are around seven of them.
Intel suggests that a group of foreign terrorists led by a veteran member has been operating in the area for the past few months. It is believed that this group is also behind this. terrorist attack Dangri in January
Sources said that at least two of them have come to the region from Kashmir recently.
Sources said that a total of 13 incidents involving terrorist groups have taken place in the region in the last one-and-a-half years and none of them has been solved so far.
While Jaish-e-Mohammed’s proxy organization People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF) has claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack, sources said it was Jaish which was behind the attack.
Around 3 pm on Thursday, unidentified terrorists opened fire on an army vehicle moving between Bhimber Gali and Poonch in Rajouri sector, the Northern Command confirmed in a statement yesterday.
It added that the terrorists took advantage of heavy rains and low visibility in the area.
Sources said the south of the Pir Panjal range, a mountainous region that separates the Kashmir Valley from the Jammu region, has become a point of concern.
This part starts from the plains of Jammu-Samba-Kathua to the hilly Rajouri-Poonch and has a 198 km long international border starting from Akhnoor to the 740 km long Line of Control (LoC).
The route south of the Pir Panjal was heavily used in the 1990s for infiltration and bringing arms and explosives. However, the action later shifted north to Pir Panjal.
Lt Gen Satish Dua (retd), who served in the area as a brigade commander, said: “Of late, they (terrorist groups guided by their Pakistani handlers) are trying to activate this (Jammu, Poonch side) side as well.” Trying to. There is a very strong security grid in the north of Panjal. With time there was a decrease in the activity in the south of Pir Panjal. Their (terrorists’) idea is to keep the entire area active.”
Former Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia, who commanded the division there, said such a massive attack had happened after a very long time.
“Terrorist networks continue to exist, even when militancy has dropped below critical threshold levels. The G20 meetings are scheduled in Kashmir and the attacks are an attempt to internationalize the issue.
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