- Saturday, May 18, 2024
The air force personnel fired in retaliation after their convoy was ambushed by the terrorists and five of them received bullet injuries in the ensuing exchange of bullets, said the air force. One of them died later.
By: Shubham Ghosh
AN Indian Air Force personnel was killed while four others were injured in a terror attack near Shahsitar in Surankote area of Poonch district of Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday (4). The condition of one of the injured was critical. They were airlifted to the Command Hospital in Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.
Reinforcement was sent to the area where the attack took place and counter-terror operations took place late on Saturday.
“The local Rashtriya Rifles unit started cordon and search operations in the area,” sources in the security forces were quoted as saying by NDTV.
The air force informed about the incident on posts on social media platform X.
“An Indian Air Force vehicle convoy was attacked by militants in the Poonch district of J&K, near Shahsitar. Cordon and search operations are underway presently in the area by local military units. The convoy has been secured, and further investigation is under progress,” it said.
An Indian Air Force vehicle convoy was attacked by militants in the Poonch district of J&K, near Shahsitar. Cordon and search operations are underway presently in the area by local military units. The convoy has been secured, and further investigation is under progress.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 4, 2024
In another update, it added, “In the ensuing gunfight with terrorists, the Air Warriors fought back by returning fire. In the process, five IAF personnel received bullet injuries, and were evacuated to the nearest military hospital for immediate medical attention. One Air Warrior succumbed to his injuries later.
“Further operations are on by the local security forces.”
Update
In the ensuing gunfight with terrorists, the Air Warriors fought back by returning fire. In the process, five IAF personnel received bullet injuries, and were evacuated to the nearest military hospital for immediate medical attention. One Air Warrior succumbed to his…
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 4, 2024
News agency Press Trust of India reported citing officials that around 6.15 pm local time, the air force’s convoy was heading to an air force station from Jaranwali in Jammu and Kashmir when they were ambushed.
Saturday’s incident was the first major attack on the Indian armed forces in the region this year. Last year, the army was targeted a number of times.
Visuals from the site of Saturday’s attack showed at least a dozen bullet holes on the windscreen of the vehicle that was ambushed.
This is the first major attack on the armed forces this year in the region which witnessed a series of terror attacks on the army last year. Visuals from after the attack showed at least a dozen bullet holes on the windscreen of the vehicle that came under fire.
The terrorists, who were believed to be carrying AK assault rifles, fled to nearby forests after the attack, official sources said.
Local police forces, assisted with paramilitary personnel, have been carrying out search operations in Poonch since Friday (3) following inputs about suspicious movements. Nobody was arrested during the operation, however, official sources added.
The attack on Saturday also came just days before the parliamentary elections in Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, of which Poonch is a part, on May 25.
