International Desk: Five Indian soldiers lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district. Another person was seriously injured. The victims were all members of India’s Rashtriya Rifles unit and were engaged in anti-terror operations. Yesterday, Thursday (April 20), an Indian Army vehicle was targeted in the attack. At least two dozen shots were fired at the army vehicle from all sides. News from NDTV.
The Indian Army said terrorists opened fire on the troops around 3pm local time on Thursday and later the vehicle caught fire, possibly due to a grenade attack.
Police said the attackers are still absconding and are Pakistani nationals. Eighty-six operations have been started across the area to catch them. India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) is also joining the probe. A special team of them has already left for Kashmir.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed grief over this incident. Indian political parties have also strongly condemned the attack.
After 12 long years, the attack on the Indian army took place on the same day that the foreign minister of Pakistan announced his visit to India. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will go on that trip to attend the Foreign Ministerial meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The meeting will be held in Goa, India on May 4 and 5.
Tensions between the two countries rose after the 2019 Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir and India’s surgical strike in Pakistan’s Balakot in response. Relations with Pakistan further deteriorated when India revoked Kashmir’s special status in August of that year.
