A group of insurgents attacked an Indian Army convoy in the Himalayan territory of Jammu and Kashmir, killing at least five soldiers, India's defense minister said on Tuesday.
Gunmen fired at the convoy in Kathua district on Monday after attacking it with a grenade, media said. In contrast, return fire from the soldiers sent the gunmen fleeing into a nearby forest.
"Counter-terrorist operations are underway, and our soldiers are determined to usher in peace and order in the region," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, offering condolences to the bereaved families.
I am deeply anguished at the loss of five of our brave Indian Army Soldiers in a terrorist attack in Badnota, Kathua (J&K). My deepest condolences to the bereaved families, the Nation stands firm with them in this difficult time. The Counter Terrorist operations are underway,…
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 9, 2024
In June, militant attacks in the Jammu area killed 12 people and injured dozens. The fight against militancy in the region is in its decisive phase, according to Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, who attended a security review meeting last month. Since the beginning of the insurgencies in the Kashmir Valley and Jammu in 1989, tens of thousands have died.