Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad takes responsibility for cowardly terror attack on CRPF convoy

Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has claimed responsibility of the fidayeen attack on CRPF convoy at the highway in which 18 CRPF personnel have been martyred and 13 injured.

A JeM spokesperson Muhammad Hassan in a text message to Kashmiri News Agency GNS said: "dozens of forces' vehicles were destroyed in the attack".

The spokesperson identified the driver (of JeM) as Aadil Ahmad alias Waqas Commando of Gundi Bagh, Pulwama, who carried out the biggest terror attack on security forces since the Uri attack in 2016.

IG CRPF confirmed to Republic that there were at least 20 personnel aboard the vehicle that was attacked.

READ| IED Blast On Srinagar-Jammu Highway, CRPF Jawans Injured: LIVE UPDATES

The IED blast occurred upon a bus of 54 Battalion CRPF part of Up convoy from Jammu and had checked in at Anantnag. Some reports of grenade lobbying and firing upon vehicles of 35 Battalion and 179 Battalion also coming in.

J&K Police have released a statement in the aftermath of the IED blast on the Jammu-Srinagar highway:

• Our preliminary report suggests that a car laden with IED was at the spot. It is not clear at this moment whether the car rammed into the convoy or was parked beforehand. Mangled remains of the car are at the spot that is being investigated. But difficult to identify at this stage. 
• The CRPF convoy was coming from Jammu. The convoy had checked in at Anantnag. 
• The terrorists did not target the security car ahead of the bus. The plan was to only target the CRPF bus. 
• Jaish has claimed responsibility. We are also looking at whether any local support was provided.