SRINAGAR: Security forces expanded Saturday their search for three to four heavily armed terrorists believed to be behind an ambush on a military truck that resulted in the deaths of two soldiers from 18 Rashtriya Rifles and two civilian porters near Botapathri along the LoC in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district Thursday evening.
Baramulla SSP Zaid Mohammed said the combing operation spans dense forests from Baba Reshi to Gulmarg and other adjacent regions. “We have launched multiple input-based search operations in Pattan and Kreeri as well,” he said. Security sources denied reports that rockets were fired at the truck.
The ambush took place between two security checkpoints, about 5km from the LoC and 11km from Gulmarg. Located in the upper reaches of Gulmarg, the area is known for its scenic meadows and valleys surrounded by snow-capped mountains, drawing tourists and nature lovers.
The ambush was part of a series of recent terrorist shootings in Kashmir. Before Thursday’s ambush, a barber from UP was wounded in an attack in Pulwama earlier that morning. On Oct 20, seven employees of a tunnel-construction company were killed in Gagangir village of Ganderbal district, while a migrant worker from Bihar was abducted and murdered in Shopian district on Oct 18.
Pakistan-backed People’s Anti-Fascistic Front (PAFF), an offshoot of banned terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad, has claimed responsibility for the Baramulla ambush. The recent deaths brought the number of security force fatalities in J&K to 24 since May 4 — with 18 in Jammu region and six in Kashmir. The forces have killed at least 20 terrorists during the same period.
Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha vowed strong retaliation against cross-border terrorism, blaming Pakistan for supporting terrorist activities in the region. “Our forces will avenge every drop of innocent blood spilled in Kashmir,” he said, adding that a new security strategy has been devised to counter the threats.