Jaish offshoot claims responsibility of Akhnoor IED blast

In a 34-second video clip put out on social media, the PAFF claimed it had carried out the attack; HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video

Jaish-e-Mohammad offshoot People’s Anti Fascist Front (PAFF) claimed responsibility for the improvised explosive device (IED) attack along Line of Control (LoC) in Akhnoor sector that killed two armymen, including a captain.

The arms recovered by forces in Poonch on Thursday. (HT Photo)

In a 34-second video clip put out on social media, the PAFF claimed it had carried out the attack. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

On Tuesday, Captain Karamjit Singh Bakshi and Naik Mukesh Singh Manhas were killed and another soldier injured after an IED suspected to have been planted by Pakistani terrorists went off.

Cache of arms recovered

The army on Thursday recovered explosives and allied material along LoC in Poonch district, said people familiar with the development.

“After Wednesday’s incident of cross-border firing along LoC in Tarkundi area of Poonch, army conducted search operation in forward areas along LoC and made the recoveries,” said officials

The recoveries made by troops of Gambhir Battalion included an anti-tank mine, four activated anti-personnel mines, splinter material, a shovel, rope and other materials, they added. The army, however, did not issue an official statement till the filing of this report.

The officials said intelligence agencies have alerted security forces about presence of nearly 100 terrorists in launchpads across the LoC.

The Pakistani Rangers suffered ‘heavy losses’ on Wednesday in retaliatory firing from the Indian Army in Krishna Ghati sector, across the LoC in Poonch, officials aware of the developments said.

The development comes close on the heels of a ceasefire violation, the first this year, by Pakistan in Bhimber Gali sector along the LoC in Poonch. Pakistan on Wednesday opened small arms fire on Indian posts along the LoC in Tarkundi area of Bhimber Gali sector in Poonch, prompting India to respond in equal measure, the officials said.

“Around 3 pm on Wednesday, the Pakistani army fired around 15 rounds on Indian troops at a post in Tarkundi area,” said an army officer. He said Indian troops retaliated in adjoining KG sector, inflicting ‘heavy losses’ on the adversary. “Indian army has hit back strongly, but we can’t exactly tell the extent of damage,” the officer added.

However, a video clip of over 2 minutes, purportedly showing Pakistan Army officer attending funeral of soldiers, has been accessed by HT. In the video, the officer can be heard telling locals of a village in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), opposite KG sector, that they should pray for those killed in the retaliatory firing. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

The Indian Army neither confirmed nor denied the information.

Meanwhile, officials said a junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Indian Army sustained minor injuries when he stepped on a landmine in the same sector on Wednesday evening. The JCO, a resident of Mendhar, was part of a patrolling party.

The cross-border firing on Wednesday was the fourth such border incident in five days.