J&K: Northern Army commander visits Poonch terror attack site
After a deadly ambush claimed the lives of five Indian Army personnel in the dense forest region of Bhata Dhurian in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, Northern Army commander Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi visited the site of the terror attack on Saturday. Furthermore, Dwivedi also reviewed the security situation and ongoing operations at ground zero.
Why does this story matter?
Five soldiers were killed and another was severely injured in Bhata Dhurian on Thursday after their vehicle caught fire during a terror attack. It was reported that the soldiers belonged to a Rashtriya Rifles unit deployed there for counter-terrorism operations. The incident took place near the site of a 2021 encounter, which lasted for weeks and was the Army's longest counter-terror operation since 2009.
Dwivedi briefed on action undertaken so far
Lieutenant General Dwivedi visited the attack site on Saturday and was accompanied by the General Officer Commander of Nagrota-based 16 Corps, Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain. According to The Indian Express, Dwivedi was also briefed on the action taken so far since Thursday's terror attack. Sources also revealed that Dwivedi "exhorted the troops to be steadfast in their resolve."
Details on Lieutenant General Dwivedi visit
"[Lt Gen Dwivedi] reviewed the operational situation after the incident of 20 April 23. He was briefed on the actions undertaken so far & exhorted the troops to be steadfast in their resolve," tweeted the Army's Northern Command on Sunday. As per reports, initial search operations were partially suspended on Saturday in inhabited parts amid Eid celebrations and will once again resume on Sunday.
Twitter post by Northern Command
12 detained for questioning in Poonch terror attack
Security forces detained at least 12 people for interrogation on Friday to determine the identity of the responsible terror group, which has been reportedly active in the area for over a year. According to PTI, the Director General of J&K Police, Dilbag Singh, and the Additional Director General of Police, Mukesh Singh, also camped in the neighboring Rajouri district to oversee the investigation.
Alleged links to terror outfit Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force
As per officials, the people who carried out the attack had been living in Poonch and Rajouri for over a year and had adequate knowledge of the terrain there, which they claimed was rather complex. Furthermore, the area is also a Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF) hotspot as its "commander" Rafiq Ahmed, alias Rafiq Nayi, is allegedly a resident of the region.
Know about Thursday's Poonch terror attack
The attack took place at nearly 3:00 pm on Thursday close to the Bhimber Gali Sector's Bhata Dhurian Forest when terrorists fired at an Army truck carrying soldiers. Five terrorists were reportedly present there, and the vehicle was attacked from three different directions. It is also believed that the attackers used sticky bombs and grenades to set fire to the truck.
