Five army personnel were killed and six others injured after terrorists attacked a military convoy in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on Monday. The Army vehicles were on a routine patrol on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road, about 150 km from Kathua, when a group of heavily armed terrorists ambushed the patrolling party in the Badnota area.

Terrorists threw a grenade and opened fire prompting the security forces to retaliate, but they managed to escape to the nearby forest, officials said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said he was “deeply anguished” over the death of five Army personnel. He said counter-terror operations are underway.

“I am deeply anguished at the loss of five of our brave Indian Army soldiers in a terrorist attack in Badnota, Kathua (J&K),” the Union minister said on X.

“My deepest condolences to the bereaved families, the nation stands firm with them in this difficult time. The counter terrorist operations are underway, and our soldiers are determined to usher in peace and order in the region,” he said.

“I pray for a speedy recovery to those who sustained injuries in this dastardly terror attack,” Singh added.

On Monday, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also wrote on X, “Deeply anguished at the martyrdom of our four brave Indian Army soldiers in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua. Six jawans are also injured.”

“We unequivocally condemn this cowardly terror attack on the Army convey in the strongest possible terms,” the Congress chief added.

This was the second attack on the Indian Army in the Jammu region after an Army camp in Rajouri district was attacked on Sunday, in which one soldier was injured.

The attack came 24 hours after six terrorists were killed in two separate encounters in Kulgam district. The encounters, which began on Saturday, also claimed the lives of two soldiers.