Three-four Pakistani militants, together with one carrying an M16 rifle, may very well be behind the Reasi terror attack that left 9 individuals, together with seven pilgrims, lifeless, safety forces and the Jammu and Kashmir police suspect.
Following Sunday’s terror assault, throughout which militants opened hearth at a bus stuffed with pilgrims, inflicting it to plummet right into a gorge, safety forces have been finishing up combing and search operations within the closely dense forests within the district’s Pouni space.
In response to sources, bullet shells recovered from the spot recommend an M16 was used. Given how they deliberate and executed the assault, mendacity in anticipate the bus, the militants seem like well-trained and aware of the realm, sources mentioned.
Their modus operandi of attacking the bus is much like the one utilized by militants in focusing on autos carrying safety forces on the Dehra Ki Gali-Bufliaz highway in addition to close to Shahsitar – each within the border Poonch district – within the final six months, mentioned a police officer, referring to inputs acquired from victims and locals.
Military personnel conduct a search operation in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. (PTI)
Like within the earlier assaults, militants focused the bus when its driver slowed down whereas descending a slope. Additional, the assault was carried out within the night, when there have been fewer autos on the highway, and the approaching bus may very well be seen from a distance.
In response to locals, the assault befell between Kanda and Chandi Morh, from the place one highway goes to Ransoo close to Shiv Khouri in Reasi district and one other to Taryath (Kalakote) in Rajouri district. The closest police institutions – a police station at Pouni and a police publish at Ransoo – are practically 20 kilometres and 12 kilometres away, they identified.
In response to an injured one that was occupying the seat close to the driving force, a militant carrying a masks was standing on the roadside in a ready-to-fire place, whereas others appeared to have taken place on the hill. Because the bus approached them, they opened hearth, hitting the driving force.
Figuring out properly that police or safety forces will take time to succeed in there from Ransoo and Pouni, militants continued firing on the bus for practically 5 minutes even after it had fallen within the gorge, locals mentioned.
The primary time safety forces had seized a US-made M16 from militants was in June 2020, when three militants had been killed whereas crossing the Line of Management by way of Arsal nullah in Rajouri’s Nowshera sector. In August 2022, a Chinese language-made M16 rifle was seized from militants throughout an operation by safety forces close to the Line of Management in Kashmir’s Uri sector. Safety forces had then described the seizure as “uncommon”.
In the meantime, an enormous search operation has been launched within the forests falling in Reasi’s Pouni and adjoining Rajouri’s Kalakote space in the hunt for the militants. Safety companies suspect they’re making the most of dense forests in adjoining Kalakote and Pouni tehsils, and have often been shifting their location.
Search events are utilizing drones to trace down the militants, sources mentioned, including that officers of the Nationwide Investigation Company and different central intelligence companies have additionally reached Reasi.