“Support from across border… reassessing strategies to tackle”: Northern Army Commander on Baramulla terrorist attack

Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 25 (ANI): After the Baramulla terrorist attack, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of Northern Command, Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar, on Friday said that the Army is “reassessing strategies” in light of suspected cross-border support for the attackers.

“I would not like to share details of an ongoing operation but what I can inform you is that we took stock of the new challenges, the modus operandi of the terrorists, the support they are likely to be getting from across the Line of Control or border. We are reassessing strategies to tackle this,” Lt Gen M V Suchindra Kumar said during a media breifing here.

Two soldiers and two civilian porters were killed on Thursday after terrorists attacked a military vehicle in Baramulla. One soldier and one porter were also injured and undergoing treatment, Army officials said.

About India, and China reaching an agreement on border patrolling, Gen Kumar said that the consensus achieved includes patrolling and grazing to traditional areas.

To put it very briefly, India and China have been involved in talks both at the diplomatic and military levels to resolve differences in balance areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Pursuant to the talks, broad consensus has been achieved to restore the ground situation based on principles of equal and mutual security. The consensus achieved includes patrolling and grazing to traditional areas,” he added.

Disengagement of troops of India and China has started at two friction points in Demchok and Depsang Plains in the Eastern Ladakh sector, defence officials said.

As per the agreements between the two sides, the Indian troops have started pulling back equipment to rear locations in the respective areas, they said.

On October 21, India announced that it reached an agreement with China on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh ending the over four-year-long military standoff.

The border standoff between India and China began in eastern Ladakh along the LAC in 2020, sparked by Chinese military actions. This incident led to prolonged tensions between the two nations, significantly straining their relations.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressing an event in New Delhi on October 22 said that India has reached an agreement with China on patrolling arrangements, which will restore the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to what it was before May 2020.