Srinagar, Oct 25 – Two soldiers who were critically injured in Thursday’s terror attack near Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir succumbed to their injuries, raising the death toll from the ambush to four.
The attack, which targeted an Army vehicle traveling to the Nagin post in the Afrawat range, left two Army porters dead on Thursday and critically injured another porter and a soldier. According to officials, the attack occurred in the Bota Pathri area, approximately six kilometers from Gulmarg in Baramulla district. The terrorists reportedly opened fire on the vehicle in the evening, prompting the soldiers to retaliate.
The area, predominantly controlled by the Army, was recently opened to tourists, though officials had reported earlier this year that a terrorist group may have infiltrated and taken refuge in the higher reaches of the Afrawat range.
Expressing his concern over the incident, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the recent wave of attacks in the Valley alarming. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “The attack on Army vehicles in Bota Pathri is very unfortunate, resulting in casualties and injuries. This recent spate of attacks in Kashmir is a serious concern.” He condemned the incident, offering condolences to the families of those killed and praying for the recovery of the injured.
Former Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the attack. Meanwhile, Ravinder Raina, the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir president, attributed the violence to Pakistan’s attempts to destabilize the peace in the Union Territory.
The attack occurs amid a spike in terror incidents in the Valley. Earlier in the week, a deadly assault on the Z-Morh tunnel construction site in Ganderbal district left six non-local laborers and a local doctor dead. Prior incidents included the October 18 killing of a laborer from Bihar in Shopian and the shooting of a laborer from Uttar Pradesh in Pulwama.
Security forces remain vigilant as the Valley continues to face renewed threats and attempts to destabilize the region.
