Kathua Terror Attack: Five soldiers killed, six injured in Jammu and Kashmir ambush

The terrorists hurled a grenade and opened fire targeting Army vehicles which were on a routine patrol on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road at around 3.30 pm near Badnota village in Lohai Malhar, 150 km from Kathua town

Five army personnel were killed and six injured on Monday in an ambush by terrorists in the remote Machedi area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. The attack occurred at around 3:30 pm when terrorists hurled a grenade and opened fire on army vehicles patrolling the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road near Badnota village, about 150 km from Kathua town.

The injured soldiers were transported to the Community Health Centre in Kathua's Billawar.

Security forces returned fire, but the terrorists fled into the nearby forest. Reinforcements have been dispatched to neutralise the terrorists, who are believed to have recently infiltrated from across the border.

This incident marks the second major attack in Kathua district in the past four weeks. On June 12-13, two terrorists and a CRPF jawan were killed in a gunfight during a search operation. On June 26, three foreign terrorists were killed in a gunfight in Doda district. The spurt in terror activities in Jammu is seen as an attempt by Pakistani handlers to revive terrorism in the region and disrupt the peace.

Additionally, on June 9, terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims from the Shiv Khori temple in Reasi district, resulting in nine deaths and 41 injuries.

With agency inputs