Soldier, Pakistani intruder killed in gunfight in J&K | Latest News India

A soldier and a Pakistani intruder were killed in a gunfight near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday, officials said, citing the role of Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) in the infiltration attempt, the latest in a series of terror attacks in the Union Territory.

According to a defence official, “two to three” gunmen crossed the LoC in the Machhal Sector of north Kashmir district, taking advantage of bad weather and poor visibility, and opened fire on a forward army post in the Kamakari area..

“Alert troops responded vigorously and in the ensuing exchange of fire, a Pakistani intruder was killed and arms, ammunition and war material were recovered. The identity of the Pakistani national is being established,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

The official added that two soldiers were also injured in the exchange of fire and one of them later succumbed to the injuries. The other soldier was being treated at the base hospital in Srinagar and was in stable condition.

“All ranks of Chinar Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of brave Rfn (Rifleman) Mohit Rathour who laid down his life in the line of duty, today at Kupwara Sector, on the Line of Control. Chinar Warriors salute his immense courage and sacrifice, express our deepest condolences and stand in solidarity with the bereaved families,” the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps posted on X.

News agency PTI quoted an unnamed official as saying that BAT was behind the attack. “Action by Border Action Team was foiled by alert Indian Army troops in Kamakari sector,” the agency quoted the official as saying. Another official confirmed this to HT.

BAT is a special Pakistani military unit, made up of commandos from the country’s Special Services Group (SSG) and members of terror groups trained in cross-border operations. It has also been blamed for attacks on troops in the past.

“The Indian Army is unwavering in its determination and commitment to uphold the sanctity of the Line of Control and defeat the nefarious and hostile designs of the Pakistani Army,” the defence official was quoted as saying earlier.

The attack on the army post came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a strong warning to Pakistan, saying the Indian army would use all its might to crush the terror emanating from that country and reminded Pakistan of the defeats it suffered in the past during the Kargil Vijay Diwas war.

“I am speaking from a place where the patrons of terrorism (across the de facto border) can hear me loud and clear,” he said after paying tribute to soldiers who died in the Kargil War fought along a 170-km-long mountain border in the summer of 1999. “And I want to tell them that their sinister plans will never succeed. Pakistan’s previous attempts have failed. But it has not learnt anything from history. It is trying to remain relevant through terrorism and proxy war.”

This was the fourth gunfight between troops and extremists in Kupwara in a month. On Wednesday, a soldier and a terrorist were killed in a clash near the Divar army camp in the district. This year, 29 terrorists and four defence personnel have been killed in separate gunfights in Kashmir. In Jammu, 28 people, including 12 security personnel and five terrorists, have been killed in separate terror attacks and gunfights this year.

The rise in terrorist attacks has put J&K on edge and prompted the country’s political and defence authorities to review the security situation in the UT. On July 18, the rise in terrorist activities was discussed at a meeting of the crucial Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi held a meeting with top officers from paramilitary forces, intelligence agencies and Jammu & Kashmir Police in Jammu on July 20 while taking stock of the situation on the ground.