J&K: LeT terrorist shot dead on Day 2 of Rajouri encounter

Amid the encounter in the dense forest of Kalakote in Rajouri district since Wednesday morning, the army on Thursday gunned down a hardcore Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist who was an expert sniper and trained in gurreilla warfare besides assembling IEDs, said officials.

The terrorist was identified as Quari, a Pakistan national. Official sources said, “He was a highly ranked leader of the Lashkar-e-Toiba and was trained on the Pakistan-Afghanistan front. He was active in Rajouri-Poonch along with his group for the past one year. He was believed to be the mastermind of the Dhangri and Kandi attacks.”

Also read: 2 Captains, 2 soldiers killed in J&K gunfight

Terrorists had killed seven members of the Hindu community in Dhangri village on January 1 and 2 this year.

The twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch also witnessed two major terror attacks on the army this year. A total of 10 soldiers were killed in two attacks on April 20 at Tota Gali in Poonch and May 5 in the Kandi forests of Rajouri.

“Quari was sent to revive terrorism in the region. He was an expert in IEDs besides operating from caves in the jungles and a trained sniper,” the sources said.

Spotted in Kalakote on Sunday

They said two terrorists, including Quari, were first spotted at a house in Kalakote asking for food. “They had visited the house on Sunday where they were seen talking to women for food. A video of the duo is being shared widely on social media,” they said.

On Tuesday, the terrorists had beaten up a nomad, Sarfaraz Ahmed, at Bajimaal when he denied food to them.

It was Sarfaraz, who had tipped off security forces about the terrorists.

“While security forces were laying a cordon around the area, the two terrorists, who were by then well entrenched atop hills in Solki, opened heavy fire from automatic weapons that took a toll on our officers and soldiers,” the sources said.

The army lost two captains, a havaldar and a jawan on Wednesday. “The first contact (with terrorists) was established at Solki by the 63 RR troops around 9am on Wednesday. Immediately, a cordon and search operation was launched,” said an army officer.

“In the ensuing searches, the troops were fired upon by terrorists in which two captains of the 63 RR and 9 Para (Special Forces), respectively, besides a havaldar of 9 Para (SF) and a soldier were killed. A Major of 9 Para (SF) and another soldier, who were hurt in the gunfight, were evacuated to Command Hospital in Udhampur. They are stable,” said the officer.

The officer informed that the operation was underway. “It’s an old group of terrorists, which is moving around in the area. The security forces had been looking for it for a month. The terrorists are heavily armed,” said the officer.

An intelligence official said commandoes of the 9 Para Special Forces and officers and men of the 63 RR and 54 RR were leading the charge when they came under fire.

Drones to locate terrorists

Additional reinforcements have been rushed to the area and drones are being used to locate the terrorists.

A police official from Kalakote said, “The encounter site is in a dense forest on a treacherous mountain. It is located near Baji Sahab Darbar on Bravi link road in Kalakote. The area is 95km from the Line of Control, which indicates that the terrorists were guided to this place and are well entrenched with logistical support of their sympathisers.”

Last week, a terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Budhal forest area in Rajouri district.

On September 12 and 13, security forces had gunned two terrorists in the Narla area of Rajouri district.

On September 11, the Northern Army commander had informed at the North Tech Symposium that nearly 200 terrorists were waiting across the LoC in Pakistan.

“They are waiting to infiltrate but our alert troops are deployed at the borders and we are trying to eliminate them there itself,” he had said.

Since January this year, the two border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, south of the Pir Panjal range, have seen a spike in terrorism.

Terror attacks in Rajouri, Poonch districts this year

January 1, 2023: Seven civilians of Hindu community, two of them minors, were killed in firing and an IED blast triggered by two terrorists at Dhangri village in Rajouri district.

April 20: Five soldiers in a truck were ambushed at Tota Gali in Poonch.

May 5: Five commandos of Para special forces were killed in an IED blast triggered by terrorists in the Kandi forest of Rajouri.