The Congress on Sunday said the attack in Poonch is part of a worrying trend of terror attacks in the area and asserted that after Lok Sabha election results, the party and its INDIA bloc partners will leave no stone unturned in strengthening the counter-terrorism grid in Jammu and Kashmir.
Five IAF personnel were injured in the attack on Saturday evening near Shahsitar in the district's Surankote area and one of them succumbed to injuries at a military hospital, officials said.
They said a well-coordinated joint operation by the army and police is underway in many areas, including Shahsitar, Gursai, Sanai and Sheendara Top, to neutralise the terrorists.
"We strongly and unequivocally condemn this dastardly terror attack and join the nation in unitedly standing together against terrorism," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.
He claimed that while there were "no major incidents of terrorism in this area between 2007 and 2014", the Surankote terrorist attack is part of a worrying trend of terror attacks, particularly against security personnel, in the hilly Rajouri-Poonch areas situated near the Line of Control.
"It is a matter of grave concern that since January 1st 2023, 25 of our brave security personnel and eight innocent civilians have lost their lives in the Rajouri-Poonch area. In contrast, there were no major incidents of terrorism in this area between 2007 and 2014," he said.
After June 4, the Congress and its INDIA bloc partners will leave no stone unturned in strengthening the counter-terrorism grid by fully supporting our brave soldiers, Ramesh asserted.
"Our approach will also be to consistently empower the political class and civil society, transcending religious and ethnic ties, which will support the efforts of our valiant forces to mount a collective societal deterrence against terrorists in Rajouri-Poonch, an area which is vast and hilly," he said.
This will make them equal partners in efforts towards peace and security in this sensitive and strategic region, Ramesh added.
In a post on X on Saturday night, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had said the Congress strongly and unequivocally condemns this "dastardly terror attack" and joins the nation in standing together against terrorism.
"Our deepest condolences to the family of the brave air warrior who made the supreme sacrifice. We hope that the injured air warriors recover at the earliest and earnestly pray for their well-being. India is united for our soldiers," Kharge said.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said the cowardly terrorist attack on the security personnel convoy in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir is "very shameful and sad".
"I pay my humble tribute to the martyred soldier and express my condolences to his bereaved family. I hope for the speedy recovery of the soldiers injured in the attack," he said on X on Saturday.
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