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Tariq Bhat
Tariq Bhat

Line of Control

Two soldiers killed in Pakistan BAT attack on Army patrol

shopian-army-file-pti (File photo) Representational image

Two soldiers were killed on Thursday in an attack by Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) in Poonch sector of Jammu close to the Line of Control. One intruder was also shot dead by the Army in retaliation.

The attack happened 600metres inside the Indian side of the LoC at 2 pm when the Army was carrying out an area domination patrol.

The sudden attack happened merely 200 metres from the Army post. Despite being ambushed, the Army retaliated and killed an intruder and injured another.

“Our area domination patrol was targeted by the armed intruders and an exchange of fire occurred. While the firefight was going on, the Pakistani posts engaged our posts by heavy fire,'' Army spokesman said. ''Our patrol killed one armed intruder. The body of one armed intruder is within visual reach. Another armed intruder was injured and covering fire by Pakistan posts facilitated his extrication.”

The BAT is a mix of Pakistani Special Forces and Jihadis who are often used by Pakistan for stun attacks inside Indian territory.

This is the second BAT attack that has been foiled in the last one month along the LoC. Indian Army averted a major tragedy on May 26 when they foiled a Pakistani BAT attack on its patrol and killed two militants on the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Thursday's BAT action is the third in Poonch sector this year.

On May 1, BAT attacked an Army patrol and mutilated and killed two soldiers—head constable Prem Sagar of Border Security Force and Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh of the Army at Krishna Ghati sub-sector of Poonch district in Jammu division.

The BAT attack was foiled on the day when Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tioba (LeT) suffered a major setback after security forces killed three top militants in an overnight operation at Kakpora village in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

A stone pelter nicknamed Chota Geelani, who was jailed thrice under Public Safety Act (PSA), was killed and 40 others were injured after security forces fired pellets and bullets at the stone pelting mob protesting against the killing of militants.

The Lashkar militants, all locals, were killed after police received a specific input on the presence of militants in the Bank Mohalla Kakapora Wednesday evening. An Army major was also injured after militants opened fire on the advancing troops of Army, CRPF and police.

“The fire was retaliated and in the ensuing encounter three LeT militants were killed. They have been identified as Majid Hameed Mir, Shakir Ahmad Jugjoo and Irshad Ahmad Dar. Two AK rifles and one pistol were recovered from the encounter site”, said a police spokesman.

Police said Majid was involved in the killings of ruling PDP district president Abdul Gani, Janta Dal (U) district president Ajaz Ahmad, and two sarpanches.

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Topics : #border | #Army

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