Poonch: A soldier was killed and four others were injured when militants attacked an Indian Air Force convoy in Poonch district on Saturday.
The Indian Air Force said that its vehicle convoy was attacked by militants near Shahsitar, a forest area. “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,” the IAF said in a post on ‘X’, adding, “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, the IAF said. “Further operations are on by the local security forces.”
Sources told GNS that soon after the attack, reinforcements from the Army and police were rushed to the area and search and cordon operation was extended to track down the attackers.
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 over two dozen bullet holes on the windscreen of the vehicle that came under fire.
The vehicles were moving towards nearby Sanai Top in the district’s Surankote area, they said, suspecting the involvement of the same group of militants who carried out an ambush on the troops in adjoining Bufliaz on December 21 last year, that left four soldiers dead and three others injured.
The Army truck bore the major brunt of the firing by the militants who were armed with AK assault rifles and are believed to have fled into the nearby forests, the officials said.
Reinforcements from the Army and police have been rushed to the area and a massive search and cordon operation was launched to track down and neutralise the terrorists, they said.
Poonch is part of Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency which is going to polls in the sixth phase on May 25.(agencies)

KR Desk