In one of the biggest security lapses in Jammu and Kashmir in recent months, an army convoy was ambushed in the Kathua district on Monday afternoon. Five brave soldiers were martyred, and six others sustained serious injuries in this heinous terror attack, reminiscent of the February 2019 Pulwama attack. Five years ago, in a similar act of cowardice, Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorists rammed an explosives-laden car into a convoy of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), martyring 40 paramilitary personnel. Notably, the latest vile act of terrorism in Kathua occurred just 48 hours after the Kulgam terrorist attack on Sunday. In retaliation, the army personnel swiftly and decisively eliminated six terrorists.
Investigations in the past two terror attacks have led to explosive revelations that the army truck was ambushed by Pakistani armed terrorists in Badnota village in Kathua through the support of locals. Sources revealed that villagers of the region helped the terrorists in conducting surveillance of the area to carry out a well-planned targeted attack. Similarly, in the Kulgam terror attack, investigators uncovered a shocking hideout where four of the six terrorists were sheltering in a covert bunker in Chinigam Frisal, deceitfully camouflaged as a cupboard. This highlights a grave concern, yet again, that many locals who support these terrorists for unknown reasons, make it even tougher for the security personnel to crack down on the terrorists putting everyone’s safety at stake.
Though the security forces launched a massive search operation with a determination to usher peace and security across the region, the back-to-back terrorist attacks come ahead of the assembly elections in the Union territory which probably will take place in August. Additionally, these attacks also pose a serious threat to the Amarnath Yatra. Although the Yatra has been suspended temporarily due to bad weather conditions, it might resume in the coming days.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the latest cowardly attack, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his “deep anguish”. Over the martyrdom of five army personnel in the terror attack, he stressed that counter-terror operations are underway and that the soldiers are determined to “usher in peace and order” in the region. The Defense Minister further expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families, stating that the nation firmly stands with the security personnel who keep the nation a priority over themselves.
In the latest, a massive combing operation is underway currently in the union territory to trace the terrorists who are believed to have fled to nearby forest regions. However, hilly terrain and dense vegetation, along with excessive fog are becoming hurdles in the search operations. This terror attack is the fifth in the region within a month, drawing severe condemnation as it is a grave blow to not only the security of the union territory but the entire nation. A strong action must be taken, instead of false promises, against not only the terror organizations but against Pakistan as well, which has been harboring terrorism and providing a safe haven to deadly terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has been orchestrating deadly terror attacks against India from the Pakistani soil.
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