The remote village of Badnota in Kathua district became the site of a tragic terrorist ambush on a military patrol truck on Monday, resulting in the deaths of four soldiers, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO) and a Jammu and Kashmir police constable. Additionally, six other soldiers were wounded in the attack. This incident is part of a month-long surge in terror-related violence in the Jammu region, which began with attacks on 9, 11, and 12 June.
Pakistani terrorists executed the attack using sophisticated weapons to maximise casualties, according to sources. They reportedly conducted reconnaissance of the area, possibly with the assistance of local supporters, suggesting a planned and targeted assault. The advanced weapons included M4 Carbine rifles, explosive devices, and other ammunition. Sources noted that Badnota village, the attack site, lacks proper road connectivity, restricting vehicle speeds to 10-15 kilometres per hour. The terrorists exploited the slow movement of army vehicles due to the challenging terrain.
The ambush pattern mirrors previous attacks on military convoys in the Jammu division. One such attack occurred on May 4 in Poonch district, targeting two Indian Air Force vehicles and resulting in the death of a corporal. Last year, similar ambushes in Poonch and Rajouri districts on November 22 and December 21 claimed the lives of nine soldiers, including two captains.
Monday’s ambush marks the second major terror attack in Kathua this year. The first took place on June 11 in Seda Sohal village, Hiranagar, resulting in a shootout that left a CRPF constable and two suspected Pakistani terrorists dead. In a separate operation on 6th June in South Kashmir’s Kulgam, a Lance Naik from the Army’s Para Commando unit and a Sepoy from the 1 Rashtriya Rifles lost their lives.
Tensions have been high in Jammu since the June 9 ambush on a bus in Reasi, which resulted in the deaths of seven pilgrims, their bus driver, and the conductor. Subsequent attacks on June 11, 12, and 26 led to the deaths of a CRPF constable and five Pakistani terrorists in Kathua and Doda. Additionally, a soldier was wounded in a terrorist attack near a military camp in Manjakot, Rajouri, on Sunday.
Sources attribute the recent spike in violence to the mysterious killings of 21 Kashmiri terrorists in POK and Pakistan, along with the assassination of retired Pakistan Army Brigadier and key ISI operative Amir Hamza. Hamza was linked to the 2018 attack on the Sunjwan military camp in J&K. According to sources, ISI officers have been tasked with avenging these attacks, with Lashkar-e-Taiba top operative Saifullah Sajad Jatta, who heads its shadow group “The Resistance Force,” assigned to this mission.
I am deeply anguished at the loss of five of our brave Indian Army Soldiers in a terrorist attack in Badnota, Kathua (J&K).
My deepest condolences to the bereaved families, the Nation stands firm with them in this difficult time. The Counter Terrorist operations are underway,…
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 9, 2024
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said he was deeply anguished over the death of five Army personnel in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district. Singh said counter-terror operations are underway, and the soldiers are determined to usher in peace and order in the region.
Team BharatShakti
