Four soldiers were killed and six others were injured when terrorists ambushed an army truck in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday afternoon, officials reported. The injured soldiers have been transported to a military hospital.
The attack took place around 3:30 PM in Badnota village, located in the Loi Malhar area of Billawar tehsil. This village is approximately 120 km from the Kathua district headquarters and borders Doda district.
“An army truck was ambushed by armed terrorists in Badnota village of Loi Malhar area in Billawar on Monday afternoon. The terrorists, believed to number between two and three, initially threw a grenade and then opened fire with automatic weapons. At least four soldiers were killed, and six others were injured in the ambush,” a police officer was quoted as saying in a Hindustan Times report.
#UPDATE | Four Indian Army soldiers have been killed while an equal number are injured in the terrorist attack in Machedi area of Kathua. The firefight between troops and the terrorists is on. More details awaited: Defence officials https://t.co/IfGjVDT9rx
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2024
He added that a total of 10 soldiers were hit by the terrorists’ gunfire, resulting in four fatalities.
The army has yet to release a statement regarding the attack.
Earlier, a police statement reported, “Exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces in the Machhedi area of Kathua district. Two Army personnel were injured. A massive search operation has been launched.”
“After attacking the army truck, the terrorists fled into the nearby forest. Additional reinforcements have been dispatched to the area, and a search operation is underway to locate the attackers,” it said.
There was an intermittent exchange of fire between security forces and the terrorists at the time of this report.
The terrorists are believed to have recently infiltrated from across the international border and were moving towards higher elevations.
The army vehicle was on a routine patrol on the Machhedi-Kindli-Malhar road.
