Baramulla terror attack: What we know and what we don’t know so far

Though the modus operandi adopted by the fidayeens was similar to Uri terror attack, there are reasons to doubt the direct involvement of Pakistan's non-state actors.

Updated: October 3, 2016 7:37 PM IST

By Mohammed Uzair Shaikh

Baramulla terror attack: What we know and what we don't know so far

New Delhi, Oct 3: Intense encounter broke out between terrorists and Indian army jawans on Sunday night. The gunfire was initiated at around 10:20 PM. Nearly 4-6 terrorists attacked the Army’s 46 Rashtriya Rifles camp located in Baramulla. The terror attack was successfully thwarted. Army Northern Command issued a statement in the midnight, at around 12:10 AM, confirming that the terror operation has been contained and the situation being completely taken under control. 2 terrorists were neutralised in the encounter, while, 1 Border Security Force (BSF) jawan succumbed to the injuries sustained in the attack. What we know so far:

– The terrorists had divided themselves into two batches. One batch of fidayeens launched an assault from the front end of the Army’s 46 RR camp, whereas, the second group of terrorists attempted to breach inside the Army camp from the backend. Important to note is that none of the terrorists succeeded in entering within the camp. However, they could had breached the perimeters of the camp.

– Army’s 46 RR camp is located in the vicinity of a BSF camp. Some reports claim that the second batch of terrorists attempted to sneak inside the 46 RR camp using the BSF unit route. However, both the batches of terrorists were successfully intercepted. While the two terrorists on the front end were gunned down, the second group of terrorists succeeded in fleeing from the spot. (ALSO READ: Baramulla Attack: Here is how terrorists escaped the Indian Army!)

– One BSF jawan, identified as constable Nitin, was injured in the encounter with the two terrorists on the front end. Nitin, along with another BSF jawan was combating with the terrorists from within a bunker. After terrorists hurled grenades at them, Nitin decided to confront the terrorists using heavy gunfire. In the direct gunbattle, he ended up being killed. “Excellent job by sacrificing his life to stop terrorists from entering campus of 46 RR,” Arun Kumar, BSF ADG of Western Command. (ALSO READ: India-Pakistan War 2016: Why India is bound to win a full-blown war against Pakistan?)

What we don’t know so far:

– Television news channel Aaj Tak, through its sources, claimed throughout the night that two of the terrorists have been holed up inside a room near the camp. Aaj Tak sources claimed that the terrorists might had halted their gunfire to deceive the security forces, and could storm outside their closet initiating fresh gunfire. Meanwhile, sources near to NDTV and Times Now claimed that the terrorists escaped from the spot using the Jhelum route. (ALSO READ: Confusion over Baramulla terror attack)

– While rumours of terrorists hiding inside in a room near the camp has been found to be bogus, the security forces are yet to give a confirmation regarding the route adopted by terrorists to flee from the spot. There could even be a possibility that terrorists are hiding in the civilian colony opposite to the Army’s 46 RR camp. Search operations are still underway.

– The army base camp is located at a spot which has the Jhelum tributary on one side, whereas, the Gular park and the residential colony on the other. The residential colony is spread over various kilometres. However, the use of motorboats in the night by the BSF unit to locate the terrorists makes one assume that the fidayeens escaped using the Jhelum route.

– Another fact which could not be ascertained is whether the attack on the army camp was planned and conducted by Pakistan-based non-state actors, or the cadres of Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir, now has a sizeable number of homegrown jihadis. However, sources close to India Today claim that the terrorists were Pakistani nationals, affiliated to Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM). (ALSO READ: Baramulla terror attack: 2 terrorists killed by Indian army, 1 BSF jawan martyred, operation contained)

– The reason not to assume it as an homegrown insurgent assault is due to the fact that the Army 46 RR camp was never attacked even in the late 80s’ and early 90s’ when insurgency was at its peak. At a time when homegrown militancy has been severely curled, one doubts the calibre of homegrown militants to carry out such strikes.

– Although Pakistan promised retaliation to the surgical strikes, there are reasons to doubt the claim that the Baramulla attack was staged by Pakistan. Though the modus operandi appears similar to the cross-border attack at the Army camp in Uri, there are reasons not to make such assumption.

– Unlike the Uri attack, the Indian defence and political establishment was not seen in a rattled position. No claims were made by army that the terrorists killed had any markings or belongings to trace them from Pakistan. No accusation was made at any of the Pakistan-based anti-India extremist groups. The kind of response shown by Indian forces makes one assume that it was similar to the kind of militant attacks carried out by local militants periodically.

– Further, one should note that Indian NSA Ajit Doval was reached out by his Pakistani Nasir Janjua on Sunday evening, hours before the attack. According to reports, Janjua expressed concern over the growing Indo-Pak hostilities and stressed on reduction of bilateral tensions and resuming normalcy at the borders.

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