Indian Army Foils Pakistani BAT Operation Along LoC, Seven Infiltrators Killed

The Indian Army successfully foiled a major infiltration attempt, eliminating seven Pakistani infiltrators, including 2-3 Pakistan Army personnel, during an operation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. The incident occurred in the Krishna Ghati sector during the intervening night of February 4-5, coinciding with Pakistan's observation of 'Kashmir Solidarity Day'.

Military sources confirmed that the Indian forces ambushed Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT), a specialized unit known for cross-border operations, as it attempted to attack a forward post. The remaining infiltrators were identified as likely members of the Al-Badr terrorist group.

The incident comes at a time of mixed signals from Pakistan. Earlier this week, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed desire for dialogue with India to resolve all issues, including Kashmir. However, this diplomatic overture was contradicted by the simultaneous gathering of terrorist commanders from organizations like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The region has seen an uptick in violence, with recent terror attacks across the Jammu region resulting in 44 casualties, including 18 security personnel. India maintains that good relations with Pakistan are only possible in an environment free of terror and violence, consistently asserting that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh "was, is and shall forever" remain an integral part of India.

Bilateral relations between the two nations have remained strained since 2019 when India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir through the abrogation of Article 370, leading to deteriorated diplomatic and trade relations.

This latest infiltration attempt highlights the ongoing security challenges along the LoC, despite Pakistan's public statements about seeking dialogue with India.