Terrorist Ambush in Doda Leaves 2 Soldiers Wounded

At least two soldiers were injured during a fresh encounter between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district early Thursday morning. The clash broke out in Jaddan Bata village, Kastigarh area, when terrorists opened fire on security search parties.

Reports indicate that the terrorists launched their attack while a unit of the Indian Army was securing a school in Kastigarh. The assailants targeted the school with grenades, resulting in injuries to two soldiers. The skirmish erupted at approximately 2:00 am. Security forces swiftly engaged in a firefight that lasted over an hour, intensifying efforts to clear the area of terrorist presence. This confrontation in Jaddan Bata village forms part of a larger search operation launched following the recent deadly attack on army personnel in Desa and adjacent forest areas.

Earlier this week, Captain Brijesh Thapa, Naik Dokkari Rajesh, and Sepoys Bijendra and Ajay Kumar Singh lost their lives during a gunfight in the Desa forest area. In response, Rashtriya Rifles troops and Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted a thorough cordon-and-search operation, swiftly mobilizing to neutralize terrorist threats within the Desa forest belt.

The escalation in terrorist incidents prompted Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to confer with the Indian Army chief on the ground situation and ongoing operations in Doda earlier this week.

Recently, the Jammu and Kashmir region has experienced an increase in terrorist assaults. These include an attack on a pilgrim bus that caused deaths and injuries, signaling a rise in terrorism linked to Pakistani operatives in border areas such as Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Kathua, and now Doda. Reports indicate that since 2021, more than 70 lives have been lost in terrorist incidents in Jammu, with the majority being security personnel from the Army.​