Five soldiers killed in Poonch terror attack

Five Army soldiers were killed Thursday afternoon in Poonch district of J&K when their vehicle was fired upon by “unidentified terrorists” who “took advantage of heavy rain and low visibility in the area. (PTI)

The dead have been identified as Hav Mandeep Singh, L/Nk Kulwant Singh, Sep Harkrishan Singh and Sep Sewak Singh from Punjab, and L/Nk Debashish Baswal from Odisha.

“The vehicle caught fire, due to likely use of grenades by terrorists,” the Udhampur-based Northern Command said in a statement. (Express Photo)

The incident took place around 3 pm when the Army vehicle was moving between Bhimber Gali and Poonch in the Rajouri sector. (PTI)

According to military sources, the vehicle was part of a small convoy of two-three vehicles, and the attack was likely a “planned ambush”. (PTI)

The attack comes amid discussions between the military leadership and the government on a proposal to withdraw Rashtriya Rifles troops from the Valley hinterland and let the CRPF fill in the gap. (PTI)