Jammu, May 20 (IANS) Northern Army commander Lt General Pratik Sharma, on Tuesday, visited forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) to assess the prevailing security situation.

Army’s Udhampur headquartered northern command said on X: “Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander, #NorthernCommand, visited forward areas to assess the prevailing security situation, ongoing counter terrorist operations and training initiatives. During his visit, he was briefed on the ground-level deployments, threat assessments and tactical challenges.”

The army said that the commander appreciated the dedication, professionalism and resilience of all ranks operating under challenging conditions and urged them to maintain a high state of vigilance in the prevailing security scenario.

Joint forces, including the army, police and the security forces, are on high alert after the LeT terrorists on April 22 killed 26 civilians, including a local, in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam after segregating them based on religion.

The attack in Pahalgam was followed by precision-guided targeted strikes at the terrorists’ headquarters by the Indian armed forces deep inside Pakistan, including Muridke near Lahore, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

Pakistan responded by indiscriminate mortar shelling on the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in J&K.

Over 200 houses and shops were destroyed in Pakistani mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla and Kupwara districts.

Hundreds of border residents were forced to abandon their homes, livestock and agricultural fields.

These hapless civilians are yet to fully return to their villages as the security forces are still busy defusing unexploded mortar shells in the border villages.

On May 12, DGMOs of the two countries agreed to a ceasefire after which guns on both sides fell silent.

The ceasefire is holding well, although India had made it clear that the understanding will last only as long as Pakistan does not allow terrorist activity against India from its soil.

–IANS

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