Intensified Military Action in J&K Hills as Terrorist Hunt Continues

Army personnel have been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua-Udhampur-Doda region as a four-day manhunt continues for terrorists responsible for an ambush on an army patrol. Sixty individuals have been detained, including suspects who provided food and shelter to the terrorists. Security measures have been increase due to IED threats.

Army personnel have significantly increased their presence in the hills and dense forests of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua-Udhampur-Doda belt, as the search for terrorists behind an ambush on an army patrol enters its fourth day on Thursday.

Since Monday's deadly attack that killed five and injured five others, security officials have detained 60 individuals for questioning. Among them are suspects believed to have provided food and shelter to the terrorists. Officials revealed that one of the detainees is a woman who prepared food for up to 15 people, which they suspect was meant for the terrorists.

Senior police and Border Security Force officers from Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab convened in Kathua to evaluate the security grid along the International Border (IB). Discussions centered on a joint strategy to combat cross-border infiltration and terrorist activities, particularly along the Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab stretch of the IB.

The ongoing search operation is being conducted with extreme caution due to the threat of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS). Expanded into the hilly areas of Kathua, Udhampur, and Doda, the operation has intensified due to a spate of terror incidents since June. Special units from the army's 9 Corps and Delta Force of the 16 Corps have been deployed to cordon off these areas, aided by surveillance data from unmanned aerial vehicles and sniffer dog units.

Characterized by dense forests, deep valleys, caves, and rugged terrain, the troops’ efforts are further challenged by adverse weather conditions like rain and fog. Security measures have also been heightened to counter potential IED threats along highways and other sensitive locations, including Amarnath yatra sites.