Security personnel on Sunday morning conducted a search operation following a terrorist attack on an Indian Air Force convoy a day before, in which one personnel was killed. According to security agencies, the search operation was carried out to track the terrorists. According to military sources, two vehicles carrying the IAF personnel came under heavy firing from terrorists around 6 pm on Saturday when they were near Shahsitar. The area falls between Surankote’s Sanai Top and Mendhar’s Gursai region in the border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir. The injured personnel were evacuated to Udhampur for treatment on IAF choppers, where one of them succumbed.
“An Indian Air Force vehicle convoy was attacked by militants in the Poonch district of J&K, near Shahsitar. In the ensuing gunfight with terrorists, the Air Warriors fought back by returning fire. In the process, five IAF personnel received bullet injuries and were evacuated to the nearest military hospital for immediate medical attention. One Air Warrior succumbed to his injuries later,” the IAF statement said.
“Cordon and search operations are underway in the area by local military units. The convoy has been secured, and further investigation is underway. The local security forces are also conducting further operations,” it added.
Update
In the ensuing gunfight with terrorists, the Air Warriors fought back by returning fire. In the process, five IAF personnel received bullet injuries, and were evacuated to the nearest military hospital for immediate medical attention. One Air Warrior succumbed to his…
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 4, 2024
According to sources, a search and cordon operation was underway, and Army special forces, 37 RR, and other units in the vicinity were involved. Sources said combing and search operations had been going on in the area between Mendhar and Surankote for the past few days following reports of terrorist movement. During the searches, militants opened fire on a vehicle carrying the IAF personnel, who retaliated. The vehicles have since been safely secured within the air base vicinity near Shahsitar, according to the officials.
Poonch district is part of the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency, which is going to the polls on May 25. The attack is believed to be aimed at disrupting the polls. This is the third militant attack in Pir Panjal region, spread over Rajouri and Poonch districts, in the last two weeks. A 40-year-old villager was killed after militants opened fire on him near Shahdra Sharief area of Thanamandi on April 22. The man, Mohammad Raziq of Kunda Top, was the brother of a Territorial Army soldier. On April 28, a village defence guard, Mohd Sharief, was killed in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur.
In view of the upcoming parliamentary elections in the area, security forces and police have already launched cordon and search operations on a massive scale to flush out militants and their sympathisers.
Team BharatShakti
