Sangiote village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district is in mourning after an Army truck carrying fruits and other items for an iftar gathering was ambushed by unidentified terrorists, leaving five soldiers dead and one critically injured. The truck was en route to Sangiote, where a Rashtriya Rifles unit was organizing an iftar gathering for the villagers.
Invitations had been sent out to several people in the village of 4,000 for the 7 pm event, but the attack occurred just 7-8 km short of the destination. When Army troops and nearby villagers reached the spot, they found the charred bodies of the soldiers and damaged fruits and edibles strewn around.
Sarpanch of the Sangiote panchayat, Mukhtiaz Khan, said the villagers were in shock and will not celebrate Eid on Saturday. Instead, they will only offer namaz to remember the soldiers who lost their lives in the attack.
The attack has once again highlighted the security challenges faced by the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir. The incident has also raised concerns about the safety of civilians in the region
