Lashkar-e-Taiba Claims Responsibility of Recent Attacks in J&K: Here Are The Latest Updates on Terror Strikes

Jammu, February 12: The Lashkar-e-Taiba--one of the largest and most active Islamic terrorist militant organizations on Monday claimed responsibility of the recent terror attacks at Sunjwan Army Camp and Karan Nagar CRPF camp in Jammu and Kashmir. The Army has successfully neutralised four Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists in the search operation that was underway in the past 51 hours in Sunjwan.

In wake of the deadly terror attack, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team on Sunday reached Sunjwan Army Camp to take stock of the situation of the situation. The recent attack in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday took place nearly 15 months after the Jammu region was hit by a similar attack. The State Assembly of J&K on Monday observed a two-minute silence in memory of five Army personnel and a civilian who were killed in a terror strike on the Sunjwan Army camp.

The Sunjwan Army Camp Attack:

On February 10, a group of heavily armed men struck the sprawling camp of the 36 brigade of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry. The terrorists targeted the Sunjwan Army Camp before dawn on Saturday and managed to sneak into the camp from the rear side of the base after a brief exchange of fire with the sentry on its periphery.  AK-56 rifles, Under Barrel Grenade Launcher, ammunition and grenades were seized from them, officials informed.

The Army has successfully neutralised four Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists in the ongoing search operation that is underway since 51 hours. The top police official said three more Army men and a civilian, who was the father of an Army personnel, were killed, taking the toll to six.

As per reports, several blasts were heard inside the camp, breaking a lull after the initial exchange of fire. The Army said the blasts were the result of sanitisation operation and there was no fresh contact with terrorists. Five Army men, including two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), were killed in the attack.  The terrorists entered the family accommodation complex after which quick response teams cordoned off the area and isolated the terrorists, who are holed up in a few houses (inside the camp).

In the last year, a similar terror attack took place in Army’s Nagrota camp on November 29, 2016. The terrorists stormed the Army’s Nagrota camp on the outskirts of Jammu city, killing seven Army personnel including two officers. Three terrorists were gunned down in the operation.

Karan Nagar Terror attack:

The attack on Army camp in Karan Nagar in Jammu and Kashmir comes two days after Jaish-e-Mohammad militants attacked an Army camp in Sunjwan, killing six people including five soldiers.  As per reports, the heavily-armed militants tried to strike the CRPF camp, located very close to SMHS Hospital from where Lashkar- e-Taiba militant Naveed Jutt alias Abu Hanzala was freed from police custody by terrorists on February 6.

A gunfight broke out between security forces and militants after their attempt to strike a CRPF camp was foiled. What triggered the gunfight was the militants holed up inside an abandoned house in Karan Nagar, in the heart of Srinagar city.

A spokesman of the CRPF was quoted by PTI saying, “The sentry at the camp noticed two suspicious persons at around 4.30 am, carrying backpacks and weapons. He challenged them and opened fire". The militants fled from the spot and took shelter in the abandoned house in residential area, the officials added.

A CRPF personnel lost his life in the ongoing encounter at the 23 Bn CRPF camp in Srinagar’s Karan Nagar, where two armed-terrorists were spotted in the wee hours of Monday. The jawan-- who belonged to 49 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) suffered injuries in the gunfight and died hours later.

Pakistan denies allegations:

Pakistan on Sunday rejected allegations that it was involved in the terror attack on Sunjwan Army camp. India’s neighbour said Indian media and officials make “irresponsible” statements even before any investigation is initiated. The Foreign Office spokesperson also accused India of carrying out a “smear campaign against Pakistan and the deliberate creation of war hysteria.”

The Foreign Office spokesperson said, “It is a well-established pattern that Indian officials begin making irresponsible statements and levelling unfounded allegations, even before any proper investigation in any incident has been initiated”.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 12, 2018 05:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).