Sunjuwan attack | Pakistan will have to pay for misadventure, terrorists belonged to JeM: Defence Minister

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that the Sunjuwan attack was perpetrated by Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists and hinted at local support, saying that Islamabad will have to pay for misadventure.

On February 10, a group of heavily armed men struck the sprawling camp of the 36 brigade of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry before dawn. Five Army men, including two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), were killed in the attack.

Three suspected Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists involved in the attack were killed in the retaliatory action by the Army inside the camp and a large quantity of arms and ammunition was seized from them.

Addressing to media, Nirmala Sitharaman said, "Terrorists belonged to Jaish-e-Mohammed, sponsored by Azhar Masood residing in Pakistan and deriving support from therein.

Stating that all the evidence collected have been compiled and will be given to Pakistan, the Defence Minister said, "Even after giving dossiers after dossiers Pakistan has not taken any action. Giving the evidence to Pakistan will be a continuous process. It will have to be proved over and over again that they are responsible."

The Minister also said that Pakistan will have to pay for this misadventure.

The Defence Minister further said that the intelligence inputs show that terrorists were controlled by their handlers from across the border. "Evidence is being scrutinised by NIA. Pakistan is expanding the arch of terror to areas south of Pir Panjal & resorting to ceasefire violations to assist infiltration."

Giving details about the terror operation, Sitharaman said, "The counter-terrorist operation in Sunjuwan were called off today at 10.30, however, the sanitisation operation is on.

"Six fatal casualties, including a civilian, were cost by the terrorists. Three terrorists have been eliminated. There were reports of 4 terrorists. The fourth terrorist must have been a guide and may not have entered the Camp area."

Earlier in the day, Defence Minister also met those injured in the attck at the Military Hospital in Jammu.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti pitched afresh for a dialogue between India and Pakistan to end the violence in the restive state, even as a gunfight raged between terrorists and security forces in Srinagar.

The chief minister also hit out at some media houses, which, she claimed, have created an atmosphere in which the very talk of talks was considered anti-national.

The last terror attack in the Jammu region had taken place on November 29, 2016, when terrorists stormed the Army's Nagrota camp on the outskirts of Jammu city, killing seven Army personnel including two officers.