5 soldiers killed after army vehicles ambushed in Kashmir

Five Indian soldiers lost their lives, and three others sustained injuries in a terrorist ambush on two Army vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, Press Trust of India reported.

The attack occurred between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz during transportation for a cordon-and-search operation. The troops were going to reinforce a joint operation against terrorists going on in the area while Army troops also immediately retaliated after being attacked by terrorists.

A defence spokesperson said a joint search operation was launched in the general area of Dhera Ki Gali in Poonch district on Wednesday night based on "hard intelligence" about the presence of terrorists and an encounter ensued there. Additional forces were moving to the site and the terrorists fired upon a truck and a Gypsy, killing four soldiers and seriously injuring three others, officials said.

The Army has rush reinforcements to the site of the ambush and a massive anti-terrorist operation was launched.

The stretch between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz on the boundary of Rajouri and Poonch districts is densely forested and leads to Chamrer forest and then Bhata Dhurian forest, where five soldiers were killed in an ambush on an Army vehicle in April this year.

Former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mehbooba Mufti, vehemently condemned the attack, echoing widespread disapproval of such heinous acts of violence.

Claiming responsibility for the ambush, the People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), reportedly linked to the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), raised concerns about cross-border terrorism, prompting calls for increased security measures.

Jammu-based defence PRO Lieutenant Colonel Suneel Bartwal disclosed that a joint search operation had been launched in the Thanamandi-Surankote region of Poonch based on credible intelligence indicating terrorist presence. This operation signifies the ongoing efforts of security forces to combat potential threats in the area._Agencies.