The Army on Saturday morning foiled an attack by Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir. The BAT, which comprises special forces personnel of the Pakistan Army and terrorists, launched the attack in Kamakari's Machhal Sector in the morning.
A Pakistani intruder has been neutralised while four Indian soldiers were injured in the attack. One of the soldiers later succumbed to his injury.
A group of two to three armed personnel from Pakistan crossed the LoC to take advantage of bad weather and poor visibility along Line of Control in Machhal Sector, and fired on a forward Army post from close proximity, stated the Defence PRO in Srinagar. It added that the alert Indian troops responded vigorously, killing one Pakistani intruder in the ensuing fire exchange. The Army has recovered weapons, ammunition and war-like stores. The neutralised Pakistani intruder's identity is yet to be ascertained.
This comes a day after India observed Kargil Vija Diwas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday warned Pakistan against carrying out terror attacks on Indian soil.
The latest attack is the fourth such encounter in Kupwara district alone in recent months. The Jammu region has seen similar encounters in Rajouri, Poonch, Kathua Reasi and Doda recenty, besides a terror attack on an Army convoy in Kathua. In the last 32 months, 50 security personnel have lost their lives in the terror attacks in Jammu, most of them belonging to the Army.
On Thursday Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi visited the LoC in Kupwara to review the preparedness to counter terrorists from across the border. He also interacted with the commanders and troops on the ground, lauding them for their high standards of professionalism.
-- with inputs from Tariq Bhat