Firing On Army Vehicle In J&K`s Poonch, Joint Search Operation Underway

SRINAGAR: A vehicle belonging to the Indian Army was reportedly targeted by suspected terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Friday. However, no casualties to the troops were reported. The incident evoked a strong response from the Indian Army, which retaliated with full force. The security forces also launched a massive joint search operation in the area after the firing incident.

According to the reports, the firing incident was reported at the Dhara Dhullian area in the Lower Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch.

''At around 1800 hours today, a Security Forces convoy of vehicles was fired upon by suspected terrorists from a jungle near Krishna Ghati in Poonch sector. No casualties to own troops. Joint search operations by the Indian Army and Jammu & Kashmir Police are in progress,'' the White Knight Corps of the Indian Army said in a post on X.

A Defence spokesperson said that they are in the process of ascertaining the details of the incident. This development follows closely on the heels of a terrorist ambush on two army vehicles in Dhatyar Morh of Surankote in December. The attack resulted in the tragic loss of four soldiers' lives and left three others injured. The responsibility for the December assault was claimed by the People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), an offshoot of the Jaish-e-Mohammad.

The incident was thoroughly discussed during a review of the ongoing counter-terror operations by Northern Army Commander Upendra Dwivedi in Jammu recently. 

During the review meeting, all stakeholders pledged to work in synergy to achieve the desired outcome, with a specific focus on eradicating the roots of terrorism in the Poonch–Rajouri region. This marks the fourth high-level review meeting held in response to the evolving situations in the Rajouri-Poonch region.