5 soldiers martyred, 4 terrorists killed in Sunjwan Army camp attack

In the worst attack on an Army camp after Uri terror attack, at least five soldiers and one civilian got killed while several others got injured in a gunbattle that went on for over 30 hours in Sunjwan in Jammu and Kashmir. The forces also gunned down four terrorists after an intense encounter that went on for more than a day.

Authorities said that the gunbattle went on for so long as the Army wanted to avoid any collateral damage. Jammu IGP SD Singh Jamwal said, "Three terrorists have been killed. Army has taken all precautions because every human life is precious and Army does not want a collateral damage. I'm sure we will be able to finish the operation soon."

On Saturday, two JCOs got killed as the terrorists carried out an early morning attack at the Army camp. In retaliation, the forces killed three terrorists on Saturday while another was killed on Sunday.

While refusing to divulge any detail about the operation, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said “I am sure that our jawans, who are in the operation, will successfully conclude it.”

The terrorists carried out the attack by opening indiscriminate fire and lobbed grenades inside the Army camp. Later, they entered the JCO family quarters where they opened indiscriminate fire.

The soldiers who were martyred in the attack were:

Sub Madan Lal Choudhary
Sub Mohd Ashraf Mir
Hav Habib-Ullah Qurashi
NK Manzoor Ahmed
L/NK Mohd Iqbal

The father of martyr L/NK Mohd Iqbal was also killed by the terrorists.

After killing three terrorists on Saturday, the forces recovered AK-47 rifles and other weapons from the terrorists.

Meanwhile, reports quoted intelligence sources as saying that Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin and JeM chief Masood Azhar are the masterminds of the attack on the Army camp.

Reports cited intercepts from Pakistan and said that a meeting between the chiefs of the terror groups was held recently in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. The two groups also reportedly organised a terrorist camp in Muzaffarabad.

The terrorists who attacked the Army camp were reportedly trained at this training camp and then sent to the Indian side of the border.

Following the attack, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday chaired an emergency meeting with top state government officials, including J&K Police DGP SP Vaid. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that Subedar Madanlal Chowdhary and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf Mir were killed in the attack by a group of militants.