SRINAGAR: In a major terror attack, a suicide bomber of Jaish-e-Mohammed rammed an explosive-laden car into a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Lethpora area of Pulwama district's Awantipora on Thursday afternoon, killing at least 44 soldiers and injuring several others.
A man claiming to be the spokesperson of the Pakistan-based JeM called a local news agency GNS and said that it was a "fidayeen"(suicide) attack. Defence experts maintain that it is the biggest IED attack in the state where armed insurgency backed by Pakistan started in the late 1980s.
The CRPF soldiers were from moving from Jammu to the valley in a convoy of 78 buses when they were attacked by the JeM suicide bomber. The impact of the blast was so powerful that the bus carrying at least 39 CRPF men was completely mangled and bodies of several troopers were blown to pieces.
Here's is a list of all major terror attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two decades:
* 26 August 2017 -- Three Jaish terrorists storm District Police Lines Pulwama, killing eight security force personnel, before the assailants were shot dead.
* 29 November 2016 -- Three terrorists storm Army artillery camp at Nagrota in Jammu, killing seven soldiers, before the assailants were eliminated.
* 18 September 2016 -- Four Pakistani terrorists storm an Army camp at Uri in Baramulla district, killing 18 soldiers, most of them were in sleep. The assailants were also killed. The incident led to reprisal surgical strikes inside the Pakistan occupied Kashmir by Indian Army.
* 25 June 2016 -- Terrorists open indiscriminate firing on a CRPF bus, killing eight jawans at Pampore on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
* 3 June 2016 -- Terrorists target a CRPF bus at Pampore, killing two personnel before taking refuge in a government building. Two-day encounter ends with killing of three soldiers including two officers and the two assailants. One civilian was also killed.
* 5 December 2014 -- Six heavily-armed terrorists storm an Army camp at Mohra in Uri. Ten soldiers were killed in the gun battle with the intruders, who were all shot dead.
* 24 June 2013 -- Terrorists ambush a bus carrying unarmed Army personnel at Hyderpora in Srinagar. Eight soldiers were killed in the attack.
* 19 July 2008 -- Ten soldiers were killed when terrorists triggered an IED planted by the roadside at Narbal on Srinagar-Baramulla highway on the outskirts of the city.
* 2 November 2005 -- A suicide bomber blew up his car at Nowgam, near the private residence of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, killing three cops and six civilians.
* 20 July 2005 -- A suicide car bomber blew his vehicle by ramming it into a vehicle of security forces. Three security force personnel and two civilians were killed.
* 24 June 2005 -- Nine army soldiers were killed in a car bomb triggered by terrorists on the outskirts of Srinagar.
* 4 August 2004 -- Nine CRPF jawans were killed in a terrorist attack on their camp at Rajbagh in Srinagar. One terrorist was also killed in retaliatory action.
* 8 April 2004 -- 11 persons were killed in a grenade attack by terrorists on a PDP rally at Uri in Baramulla district. The PDP was demanding opening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad Road.
* 22 July 2003 -- Eight soldiers, including a Brigadier, were killed in a terrorists attack on their camp at Akhnoor. Several other senior Army officers sustained injuries in the attack.
* 28 June 2003 -- 12 soldiers, including an officer, were killed in a suicide attack by terrorists on Sunjwan Army camp. Two terrorists were neutralised.
* 14 May 2002 -- In one of the biggest strikes on an Army installation, 36 persons were killed by three terrorists who stormed the Kaluchak Army Cantonment in Jammu. The assailants were also killed.
* 17 November 2001 -- Terrorists storm a security forces base in Ramban (then part of Doda district), killing 10 security forces. Four terrorists were also killed.
* 1 October 2001 -- Terrorists trigger a car bomb outside the old Legislative Assembly Complex in Srinagar. 38 persons were killed while three assailants were also eliminated.
* 10 August 2000 -- Terrorists hurl a grenade at Residency Road in Srinagar. As the security officials assembled at the spot, they triggered a car bomb, killing 11 persons and a photojournalist.
* 19 April 2000 -- The "human bomb" was used for the first time in Kashmir insurgency. Two soldiers were killed in the suicide car bomb at the Army headquarters at Badamibagh area in Srinagar.
* 3 November 1999 -- Terrorists storm the Badamibagh Army headquarters, killing 10 soldiers including Defence Public Relations Officer Major Purshottam.
(with PTI inputs)
