3 Soldiers Dead In Terror Attack In Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian, Woman Killed In Firing

Srinagar: In one of the biggest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in recent weeks, three soldiers were killed and five were injured when terrorists ambushed an army convoy in the early hours today in Shopian. A woman at a village nearby died in the cross-fire. Pakistan-based terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The soldiers from 44 Rashtriya Rifles were returning from anti-terror searches at a village in Matrigam late on Wednesday night, in a convoy of seven army vehicles, when they were attacked by heavily-armed terrorists at 2:30 am. The terrorists let the first two vehicles pass and targeted the third and fourth, firing from two directions.

The army retaliated and there was firing for about an hour but the terrorists managed to escape in the dark. Extra forces have been sent to the area to search for the attackers.

One soldier was killed instantly while the condition of some of the injured soldiers, including two officers, is reportedly critical. They have been flown to Srinagar.

An elderly woman, Jana Began, was killed inside her home after a stray bullet hit her. "My mother was upstairs. I woke up after hearing shots and when I went to check on her, she was dead," said the woman's son.

The army said in a statement, "Such incidents have only strengthened our resolve to continue relentless operations against Pakistan-sponsored anti-nationals in the Kashmir Valley."

This is the fourth major attack in the last three weeks in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, six soldiers including a major were killed in three encounters in Kashmir.

Four of the soldiers, including a decorated major, were killed by terrorists last week.

Major Satish Dahiya, 31, was shot while hunting down terrorists hiding inside a home in Handwara. Three terrorists were killed. Major Dahiya, the father of a two-year-old, was part of several counter-terrorist operations and had received a gallantry award.