BSF destroys Pakistan post, kills seven infiltrators

New Delhi: A day after Pakistan targeted Indian cities with multiple drone attacks, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday said it had foiled an infiltration bid from across the India-Pakistan International Border in Jammu, killing at least seven terrorists and destroying a Pakistan Rangers post.

The terrorists were engaged around 11 pm on Thursday in Samba district after a "big group" of terrorists was detected by the "surveillance grid". The infiltration bid was supported by fire from Pakistan Rangers post Dhandhar, the BSF said in a statement.

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"The troops neutralised the infiltration bid, killing 'at least' seven terrorists and caused 'extensive' damage to the Dhandhar post," it said, adding that the number of terrorists could be more but all of them were neutralised. The BSF also shared a thermal imager clip of the firing and "destruction" of a bunker of the post where a heavy machine gun of the Rangers was mounted.More than 75 foreign militants are said to be active in Jammu and Kashmir and are responsible for major attacks on security personnel and non-locals including the April 22 Pahalgam attack. The presence of foreign militants, despite the army and BSF claiming "zero infiltration", has been a cause of concern among the security agencies.

Among the active foreign militants, the majority belong to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir-Hizbul Mujahideen, according to officials. All three groups have been banned by the Union home ministry under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Infiltration attempts in Jammu have seen a significant increase since January 2021, when the Indian Army foiled an attempt and killed three persons along the Line of Control (LoC) in Akhnoor. In June last year, militants targeted a bus carrying pilgrims in the Reasi region of Jammu, leading to the death of nine pilgrims while 33 were injured.

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While the BSF is responsible for border security along the International Border, the India Army guards the LoC. Both forces have been on high alert amid the hostilities between the two countries following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack and India's retaliatory strike this week on nine terrorist infrastructure targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.