After Pahalgam Terror Attack, Western Army Commander Assesses Troop Readiness in Kathua

Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, the head of the Army's Western Command, paid a visit to the forward posts in Kathua district on Wednesday to check the degree of operational preparedness in the strategic area of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.

This tour of inspection by Lt Gen Katiyar to both frontline locations and hinterland areas of Kathua is in the wake of continuing counter-terror operations, which escalated following several encounters during March and April this year. These operations left three militants and four policemen dead.

"Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, Commander, Western Command, inspected the operational readiness of Rising Star Corps and also inspected forward locations in Bani-Machhedi in Kathua," read a Western Command post on X.

The Army Commander appreciated the troops deployed there for their unwavering dedication and high degree of professionalism in ensuring security and combat preparedness in the area during his visit.

Operational control of the areas of Jammu, including the border districts of Kathua and Samba, comes under the 9 Corps, which is commanded by the Western Command.

This visit assumes significance in the wake of the recent terrorist strike at Baisaran meadows in the vicinity of Pahalgam, where 26 individuals — the majority of them tourists — lost their lives in a tragic incident.