Five soldiers killed in J&K terror ambush; Army launches massive search operation

As the operation continues, authorities are diligently working to gather more information and bring an end to the threat posed by terrorists in the region. As per some media reports, five soldiers have been martyred.

Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir): An encounter is currently underway between security forces and terrorists after an Army vehicle was ambushed in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch killing at least five soldiers and injuring two others on Thursday Dec 21, news gathering agency PTI reported. In a post on X, the spokesman for the Jammu based White Knight Corps said, “Indian Army and White Knight Corps salutes the bravery and supreme sacrifice of four soldiers in Surankote on 21 Dec 23 while fighting the scourge of terrorism”. However, PTI, while quoting sources said that another soldier had succumbed to his injureis in the ambush. Officials said that the heavily armed terrorists ambushed two Army vehicles carrying the personnel to the site of a cordon-and-search operation on Thursday.

The Army vehicles came under heavy gunfire at a blind curve at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz under the jurisdiction of Surankote police station around 3.45 pm, officials said. Jammu-based defence PRO Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said that a joint search operation was launched in the general area of Dhera Ki Gali in the Thanamandi-Surankote region of Poonch district Wednesday night based on "hard intelligence" about the presence of terrorists and an encounter ensued there.

As additional forces were moving to the site, the terrorists fired upon the Army vehicles - a truck and a Gypsy. "The troops swiftly responded to the attack," the defence spokesperson said. The operation is in progress and further details are being ascertained, the official added. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed his condolences over the death of the soldiers in the terrorist attack.

He said, "The news of the martyrdom of our soldiers in the dastardly terrorist attack in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir is very sad. The country will always remember his supreme sacrifice in defense of India. In this difficult time, I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the martyrs." Meanwhile, a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) visited the area to probe the case.

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