The vehicles, carrying the personnel from the site of a cordon-and-search operation, came under attack at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz
By Sarbjeet Singh; Poonch,
Four soldiers were killed and three others were injured in a militant attack in DKG area on Thursday, officials said.
They said that army retaliated after being attacked by the militants. “The troops were going to reinforce a joint operation against terrorists going on in the area since last evening,” they said.
Sources identified the deceased as B Singh, K Kumar, C Kumar and G Kumar while injured as Sundeep Kumar, S S Dass and T D Bhaskarrav. However army have confirmed three fatalities and injuries to as many men.
“At approximately 3:45 PM on 21 December, two army vehicles carrying troops were moving to the operational site which they were ambushed and fired upon by the terrorists.
Jammu-based defence PRO Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said a joint search operation was launched in the general area of Dhera Ki Gali in the Thanamandi-Surankote region of Poonch district Wednesday night based on “hard intelligence” about the presence of terrorists and an encounter ensued there.
As additional forces were moving to the site, the terrorists fired upon the Army vehicles — a truck and a Gypsy.
The troops swiftly responded to the attack, the defence spokesperson said. In the ongoing operation, four soldiers were killed and three injured, the officials said.
Disturbing images and videos emerging from the site showed blood on the street, broken helmets of soldiers and shattered windscreens of the two Army vehicles.
The officials have not ruled out the possibility of the soldiers engaging in hand-to-hand combat with terrorists during the intense confrontation.
The officials said there was a possibility that terrorists had walked away with arms of the targeted soldiers.
As the operation continues, authorities are diligently working to gather more information and bring an end to the threat posed by terrorists in the region.
He said operations are in progress. “Further details are being ascertained.”
Meanwhile, officials Thannamandi DKG Bufliaz road closed due to ongoing encounter. “As such all are informed to use BG – Jara wali Gali road to travel Srinagar or Poonch,” they added.
The ambush came weeks after a major gunfight in the Dharmsal belt of Bajimaal forest area in nearby Rajouri district that left five Army personnel, including two captains, dead last month.
