SRINAGAR: A sudden burst of gunfire erupted between terrorists and army personnel in a remote hamlet of Jammu and Kashmirโs Poonch region late Monday night, triggering heightened alert and a sustained security sweep through the area, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
According to the security establishment, the brief clash unfolded in the Lasana area of Surankote, shortly after troops initiated a coordinated cordon and search operation based on actionable inputs suggesting the movement of terrorists in the vicinity.
โIn a joint counter-terror operation with local law enforcement, our teams made contact with terrorists in Lasana, Surankote. Reinforcements have since been deployed, and the operation remains in progress to neutralize any threat and block possible escape routes,โ the White Knight Corps of the Indian Army posted on social platform X.
During the exchange, one Army trooper sustained injuries and was immediately evacuated for medical attention, officials added.
This late-night encounter comes on the heels of heightened tension in border regions. Just days earlier, a decorated Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) fell in the line of duty during an intense firefight with infiltrators attempting to breach the Line of Control in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu.
Moreover, on February 11, terrorists employed an improvised explosive device (IED) in the same area, leading to the death of two Army menโone of them a young captainโwhile another soldier was wounded in the blast.
The recent flare-up coincides with a significant brigade-level dialogue held between senior military officials of India and Pakistan in Poonch. The meeting reportedly aimed at easing cross-border friction and streamlining communication protocols to manage emerging security challenges along the volatile frontier.
