Five Army personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Thursday when militants ambushed their vehicle, officials said.
One soldier sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at the Army Hospital at Rajouri.
The attack took place around 3 pm, the Army’s Northern Command Headquarters said.
“...One Army vehicle, moving between Bhimber Gali and Poonch in the Rajauri sector was fired on by unidentified terrorists, taking advantage of heavy rains and low visibility in the area,” an official statement read. “The vehicle caught fire, due to likely use of grenades by terrorists.”
The personnel who died belonged to the Rashtriya Rifles unit and were engaged in counterterrorism operations.
The Army said that operations are underway to locate the perpetrators.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said he was deeply anguished about the deaths of the Army personnel. “Their rich service to the nation will never be forgotten,” he said. “My thoughts are with the bereaved families.”
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said he unequivocally condemns the attack and expressed condolences to the families of those killed.
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