Army Chief General Manoj Pande to visit Rajouri today to review ongoing counter-terrorist ops

Army Chief General Manoj Pande will visit Jammu today to review the ongoing counter-terrorist operations in Rajouri sector.

Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande to visit the Rajouri sector today to review ongoing counter-terrorist operations: Army Officials

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— ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2023

The visit comes after four soldiers were killed and three were injured in a terrorist attack on Thursday. The soldiers lost their lives when their two vehicles were ambushed by terrorists at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Buffliaz in the Surankote area of Poonch. According to an India Today report, the Army Chief is expected to receive comprehensive briefings from the 16 Corps and the Rashtriya Rifles regarding the current state of counter-terrorist operations and the measures being implemented to strengthen the counter-terrorism framework in the area. An estimated 25 to 30 Pakistani terrorists are said to be operating in the region’s higher reaches. High-ranking officials from the Defence Ministry are also scheduled to visit the region this week, added the report. With the Poonch-Rajouri sectors under the purview of the 16 Corps, an imminent change in command is on the horizon as Lt Gen Sandeep Jain hands over leadership to Lt Gen Naveen Sachdev. The Army Headquarters is actively monitoring the situation, and the reshuffling of command is expected to involve officers with firsthand experience in handling situations where multiple attacks on troops have occurred, reported Zee News. On Sunday, a massive search operation continued in Surankote and nearby Thanamandi forest area of Rajouri for the fourth day in search of the terrorists responsible for the ambush. Army along with the police and the paramilitary forces are searching the forest area and the natural caves but success has eluded them so far, officials said on Sunday. Mobile internet services were suspended early Saturday following the killing of three civilians within hours of being allegedly picked up by security forces for questioning in connection with the ambush. The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday announced compensation and jobs to the families of the dead civilians and said the medico-legal formalities were conducted and legal action in this matter has been initiated by the appropriate authority. With inputs from agencies