CRPF said at least 37 of its personnel were killed and five injured when a JeM suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying explosives into their bus in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Revising the death toll, the CRPF on late Thursday night said at least 37 of its personnel were killed and five injured in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.
Earlier, sources in security establishment and Jammu and Kashmir Police had said that 44 CRPF personnel had lost their lives in the attack.
"We regret to inform that 37 personnel attained martyrdom and five personnel were injured in the ID blast at Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir. The injured are being treated at the 92 base hospital of the Army in Srinagar," the CRPF statement said.
Hours after the deadly attack, the world has spoken in one voice and stood united behind India.
Meanwhile, a former CIA analyst has raised questions over the role of ISI in the attack.
1. Convoy of 2,500 CRPF jawans returning from leave
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More than 2,500 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, many of them returning from leave to rejoin duty in the Valley, were travelling in the convoy of 78 vehicles when they were ambushed on the Srinagar-Jammu highway at Latoomode in Awantipora in south Kashmir around 3.15 pm.
Police identified the suicide bomber as Adil Ahmed, who officials said joined the Jaish in 2018. He was driving a vehicle packed with over 100 kg of explosives on the wrong side of the road and hit the bus, in which an estimated 39-44 personnel were travelling, head-on, an official at the spot said.
"We regret to inform that 37 personnel attained martyrdom and five personnel were injured in the ID blast at Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir. The injured are being treated at the 92 base hospital of the Army in Srinagar," the CRPF said in a statement issued late night.
The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack that took place about 20 km from Srinagar, officials said.
"There are no survivors from the bus," he said, adding that they were yet to ascertain exactly how many people were on the bus.
(Photo: ANI)
2. JeM suicide bomber Adil Ahmed alias Waqas
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According to reports in local media, Adil Dar went missing in March 2016 with two other friends -- Tauseef and Waseem. Tauseef's elder brother Manzoor Ahmad Dar was a militant who was killed in 2016. Adil was a dropout from school and was working as a mason. He also led prayers in local mosque. He has two brothers.
A video of Adil Ahmad Dar alias Waqas was released by JeM soon after the terror attack. In the video, that was most probably shot before Adil Dar went about his suicide mission in Pulwama, the terrorist talks about atrocities on Kashmiri Muslims. Adil Dar can be seen brandishing rifles and standing in front of Jaish-e-Mohammed banners in the video.
Adil Ahmad Dar claims in the video he joined the ranks of Jaish-e-Mohammed last year and after a year, he has been "assigned" the task of the deadly attack. He adds that when the video is released, he will be in jannat (heaven). In a statement released with the video, a Jaish-e-Mohammed spokesperson Muhammad Hassan said that "dozens of forces' vehicles were destroyed in the attack."
In the video, Adil Ahmad Dar alias Waqas can sitting in the backdrop of the Jaish flag, brandishing several sophisticated automatic rifles. He started the video by saying, "By the time this video reaches you, I will be in heaven, I have spent one year as a militant with JeM and this is my last message for the people of Kashmir."
Adil Ahmad Dar alias Waqas talked about previous attacks against India carried out by Jaish including the ICA18 hijacking, 2001 Parliament attack, Nagrota attack, Uri attack, and Pathankot IAF base attack. He also mentioned the recent sniper and IED attacks against security forces in Kashmir.
(Photo: Twitter)
3. JeM claims 350 kg of explosives,
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JeM claimed the terrorist drove the SUV carrying 350 kg of explosives. However, army and other security agencies disputed the claim and said it was a mere propaganda. An official at the spot said the bomber was driving a vehicle packed with over 100 kg of explosives on the wrong side of the road and hit the bus, in which an estimated 39-44 personnel were travelling, head-on.
The bus that was the focus of the attack belongs to the 76th battalion of the force.
The powerful explosion, which reduced the bus to a mangled heap of iron, was heard many kilometres away, including in some parts of Srinagar adjoining Pulwama district. Body parts could be seen strewn around the area.
"The bodies are dismembered and mutilated making it difficult for doctors to give the exact number of casualties," a senior security establishment official told PTI in Delhi. "It was a large convoy and about 2,500 personnel were travelling in multiple vehicles. Some shots were also fired at the convoy," CRPF DG R R Bhatnagar told PTI.
(Photo: ANI)
4. Former CIA analyst raises questions over ISI's role
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The Jaish-a-Mohammed (JeM) claiming responsibility of Thursday's terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir has raised questions over the role of the Pakistan spy agency, ISI, in the gruesome strike, a former CIA analyst and South Asian expert in the US said.
"The self-proclaimed involvement of JeM in the attack raises serious questions about the role of the ISI in supporting the masterminds of this operation," Bruce Riedel, a former CIA analyst, told PTI. The terrorist attack, which has direct footprints inside Pakistan, poses the first major challenges to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, said Riedel, who is now a scholar at the Brookings Institute think-tank.
"This will be a real challenge for Imran Khan, the first serious challenge of his administration," he said. Former Pakistan Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, said Pakistan "would have to act against the JeM".
Anish Goel, who worked in Obama administration's National Security Council, said the "horrific" attack highlights how actively Pakistan-based terrorist groups are operating in Kashmir. "By claiming such quick credit for the attack, JeM is clearly indicating that they will continue to cause trouble in the region and stoke tensions between Pakistan and India," he said. "In the wake of this attack, there will likely be increased pressure on Prime Minister Modi to take action against all militant groups still active in Kashmir," Goel told PTI.
(Photo: ANI)
5. Pakistan rejects allegations of links to Pulwama attack
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Pakistan on Thursday said the terrorist attack is "a matter of grave concern" even as it strongly rejected Indian media and government's allegations of the country's link to the strike "without" probe.
the attack in Pulwama in Kashmir is "a matter of grave concern", the Pakistan government said in a statement. Asserting that Pakistan has "always condemned acts of violence" anywhere in the world, it said, "We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian media and government that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations."
(Photo: Reuters)
6. A Pak statement, then correction
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Pakistan rejected India's concerns after New Delhi called on the country "stop supporting terrorists and terror groups operating from their territory and dismantle the infrastructure operated".
In a press release, Pak Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. "We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian government and media circles that seek to link the attack to the State of Pakistan without investigations."
The Pak MOFA issued two press releases in a span on 15 minutes with minor changes in its response.
First statement: Attack in Pulwama in the Indian occupied Kashmir is a matter of grave concern. We have always condemned acts of violence anywhere in the world. We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian media and government that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations.
Second statement: The attack in Pulwama in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir is a matter of grave concern. We have always condemned heightened acts of violence in the Valley. We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian media and government that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations.
(Photo: File)
7. World stands behind India
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Hours after the suicide attack, the world has spoken in one voice and stood united behind India. Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel said "Countries must not allow terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed to operate with impunity"
A close ally of India, UAE's foreign ministry in a statement said that the country "stands in solidarity with the government and people of India in their fight against violence and extremism".
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi while offering condolences, "as a country that has been a victim of terrorism and has taken major and effective steps to root out terrorist groups in the West Asia region.. we believe using such bloody and inhumane methods by any group and with any motive and under any name is unacceptable"
In a message to President Kovind and Prime minister Modi, Russian President said, "Perpetrators and sponsors of this attack, should be punished." adding, "I would like to confirm the readiness for the further strengthening of counterterrorism cooperation with our Indian partners"
Spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reacting to the terror attack called for those behind the attack to be" brought to justice".
India's neighbours --Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Maldives-- condemned the attack. Nepal's PM KP Sharma Oil was the first foriegn leader to call on Prime Minister Modi while Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid wrote to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
(Photo: PTI)
8. India slams Pakistan
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India slammed Pakistan over the Pulwama terror attack and asked the neighbouring country to stop supporting terrorists and dismantle terror infrastructure operating from its soil.
India also strongly reiterated its appeal to all members of the international community to support the proposal to list terrorists, including JeM chief Masood Azhar, as a designated terrorist under the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council, and to ban terrorist organisations operating from territories controlled by Pakistan.
The Indian government condemns in the strongest possible terms the cowardly terrorist attack on India's brave security forces in Pulwama, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
This heinous and despicable act has been perpetrated by Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation proscribed by the UN and other countries, it said.
This terror group is led by the international terrorist Masood Azhar, who has been given full freedom by the Pakistani government to operate and expand his terror infrastructure in territories under Pakistan's control and to carry out attacks in India and elsewhere with impunity, the MEA said.
