Radar on JeM backed PAFF as NIA gets set to probe Poonch attack

A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will probe the terror attack in which five Indian Army personnel were killed in Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir.

Terrorists had fired at an Army vehicle on Thursday, leading to the death of five soldiers, while injuring one. The NIA team will land at the spot at 12.30 pm today along with a team of forensic experts from New Delhi.

The soldiers who were killed have been identified as Havildar Mandeep Singh, Lance Naik Debashish Baswal, Lance Naik Kulwant Singh, Sepoy Harkrishan Singh and Sepoy Sewak Singh.

The jawans who were killed in the firing were from the Rashtriya Rifles Unit. They had been deployed for counter-terrorism operations in the area.

The Northern Command said that terrorists had fired on the Army vehicle, taking advantage of the heavy rain and low visibility in the area. The terrorists had fired from all sides and even hurled a grenade, which led to the vehicle's fuel tank catching fire.

"Today, at approximately 3 pm, one army vehicle moving between Bhimber Gali and Poonch in the Rajouri sector was fired on by unidentified terrorists, taking advantage of heavy rain and low visibility in the area. The vehicle caught fire, due to likely use of grenades. Five personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles unit deployed for counter-terrorist operations in this area have unfortunately lost their lives in the incident," an Army statement read.

The Jaish-e-Mohammad backed group People's Anti Fascist Front (PAFF) has claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack is said to have been carried out by four terrorists of the PAFF, sources tell OneIndia.

The incident took place just hours after it was announced that Pakistan's foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto would take part in the G20 meet in India.

The PAFF which is a proxy of the Jaish-e-Mohammad had threatened to target the upcoming G20 meeting in Srinagar.

A notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs terms the PAFF as a proxy of the Jaish-e-Mohammad.

"The 'People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF)' emerged in the year 2019 as a proxy outfit of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a proscribed terrorist organisation listed at serial number 6 of the First Schedule under the UAPA Act," the MHA notification reads.

"The People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF) regularly issues threats to Indian security forces, political leaders, civilians working in Jammu and Kashmir from other states along with other organisations is involved in conspiring proactively, physically and in social media, to undertake violent terrorist acts in Jammu and Kashmir as well as other major cities in India is indulging in radicalisation," the MHA also said.