Uri Attack: When 19 Indian Troops Were Killed In A Terrorist Strike By Jaish-e-Mohammed

On September 18, 2016, the Uri incident was one of the darkest days in post-independence India. Four Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists carried it out on an Indian Army brigade headquarters near Uri in Jammu and Kashmir.

Unfortunately, 19 Indian soldiers were killed and several more were injured in the onslaught.  it was “the bloodiest attack on security forces in Kashmir in two decades.” Several countries denounced the terrorist incident, with the US noting that it is “dedicated to our strong collaboration with the Indian government to combat terrorism.”

Events preceding the attack

Terrorists had been targeting Indian security forces since 2015, with three terrorists attacking a bus and police station in Gurdaspur in July of that year. Four to six terrorists assaulted the Pathankot Air Force Station in 2016, for which the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad was later declared responsible.

The assassination of Burhan Wani, a terrorist leader and local commander of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, exacerbated the volatile situation in Jammu and Kashmir. It provoked violent protests against the Indian government in the Valley, resulting in turmoil and instability in the region.

The attack on September 18

Four terrorists attacked an Army brigade headquarters in Uri, near the Line of Control, on September 18, 2016, at around 5.30 a.m. According to sources, the terrorists launched 17 grenades in three minutes, killing 17 Army men. In addition, 19 to 30 soldiers were reportedly injured. A six-hour gun fight ensued, and all four offenders were dead.

The majority of those killed were from the 10th battalion of the Dogra Regiment (10 Dogra) and the 6th battalion of the Bihar Regiment (6 Bihar). On September 19, a soldier died as a result of his injuries, and another soldier died on September 24, bringing the total to 19.

According to reports, the attackers broke inside the camp, despite considerable security, and appeared to have a well-planned attack. Seven of those killed were support personnel, such as chefs and barbers.

What happened after the attack?

The following day, September 19, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Chief of Army Staff Dalbir Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and other Home and Defence Ministry officials met to examine the security situation in Kashmir.

On the 21st, Pakistan International Airlines cancelled flights to various regions of Kashmir, and security surrounding the army post at Uri was increased, with soldiers on both the Indian and Pakistani sides of the Line of Control on high alert.

India cancelled its participation in the 19th SAARC summit, which was scheduled to take place in November in Islamabad, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Bhutan followed suit. On September 30, 2016, Pakistan announced that the summit slated for November 9 and 10, 2016, in Islamabad, will be rescheduled.

On September 28, the Indian Army carried out retaliatory surgical strikes on terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. At the time, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), stated that the Army had launched a pre-emptive strike against “terrorist teams” planning to “carry out infiltration and conduct terrorist strikes inside Jammu and Kashmir and in various metros in other states.”

The Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) has decided to prohibit all Pakistani actors, actresses, and technicians from working in India until the situation improves, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has ruled out the possibility of resuming bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan in the near future. The Indian Badminton Association has chosen to boycott the Pakistan International Series, which will be held in Islamabad in October.