Three weeks before voting in the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency, terrorists ambushed an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Saturday, resulting in one soldier's death and four injuries. Poonch is a part of the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency, which will hold elections on May 25 for the sixth phase.
In the evening, four terrorists opened fire on IAF vehicles heading towards Sanai Top in Poonch's Surankot area, injuring five security personnel, two of them critically. One of the severely injured soldiers passed away while receiving treatment at a military hospital.
#WATCH | J&K: Five Indian Air Force personnel injured in the attack on Indian Air Force vehicle convoy in Pooch.
Visuals of a Police vehicle entering the Indian Army base near Jarra Wali Gali (JWG) Poonch. pic.twitter.com/Qoktbwmg8j
— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2024
The security vehicles were on their way to nearby Sanai Top in the district's Surankote area, and they suspected the same group of terrorists were behind the ambush on the troops in neighbouring Bufliaz on December 21 last year, which killed four soldiers and injured three others.
According to officials, the Army truck bore the brunt of the terrorists' firing, who were armed with AK assault rifles and are believed to have fled into nearby forests. The Army and police have dispatched reinforcements to the area, and a massive search and cordon operation has been launched to locate and neutralise the terrorists, according to reports.
#WATCH | J&K: Visuals of tight security checking by Indian Army personnel at Sanai area near Jarran Wali Gali (JWG) Poonch, in Surankot.
An Indian Air Force vehicle convoy was attacked by terrorists in the Poonch district. The injured troops have been airlifted to Command… pic.twitter.com/I747iXbndd
— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2024
Police, assisted by paramilitary forces, have been conducting searches in Poonch town since Friday in response to information about the movement of suspected individuals. Officials said no one was arrested during the operation.
