In an eight-hour gunbattle on Monday between terrorists and security forces along the Line of Control in Jammu’s Akhnoor sector, an Indian Army dog named Phantom lost his life. The firefight commenced around 7 am when terrorists attacked an ambulance in an army convoy traveling through the Battal area of Akhnoor’s Khour, about 85 km from Jammu city.
“We salute the supreme sacrifice of our true hero—a valiant #IndianArmy Dog, #Phantom. As our troops were closing in on the trapped terrorists, #Phantom drew enemy fire, sustaining fatal injuries. His courage, loyalty, and dedication will never be forgotten. In the ongoing operation, one terrorist has been neutralized and Warlike stores have been recovered thus far,” White Knight Corps posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Update
We salute the supreme sacrifice of our true hero—a valiant #IndianArmy Dog, #Phantom.
As our troops were closing in on the trapped terrorists, #Phantom drew enemy fire, sustaining fatal injuries. His courage, loyalty, and dedication will never be forgotten.
In the… pic.twitter.com/XhTQtFQFJg
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) October 28, 2024
Phantom, a male Belgian Malinois trained as an assault dog, was stationed in the area since August 12, 2022, and had been issued from the RVC Centre in Meerut, according to officials.
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Army dogs like Phantom are equipped with specialized gadgets, enabling them to gather intelligence on enemy positions from close range. Three terrorists are believed to have engaged security forces in this encounter. The lone terrorist killed was reportedly dressed in clothing resembling the army’s combat fatigues.
Officials suggest that the terrorist belonged to the Jaish-e-Mohammad group. The confrontation occurred amid a recent surge in terror attacks across Jammu and Kashmir, with over eight incidents in the past two weeks resulting in more than a dozen casualties.
On October 24, terrorists targeted a convoy of Rashtriya Rifles personnel and civilian porters en route to the Nagin post in the Afrawat range, ambushing two army trucks near Botapathri, 6 km from Gulmarg. This attack led to the deaths of two soldiers and two civilian porters.
Just days earlier, on October 20, terrorists killed seven individuals at a construction site in Sonamarg, Ganderbal district, including a doctor and six migrant workers. Another migrant worker from Bihar was attacked two days prior to this incident.
Also Read: Army Neutralises Terrorist in Jammu’s Akhnoor Convoy Attack