IED attack 'purposely' directed against unarmed civilian: Army

Army on Tuesday said that the IED attack triggered by suspected militants along the Line of Control in Poonch district was "purposely" directed against innocent and unarmed civilian porters. "The Army strongly condemns this cowardly attack from across the Line of Control, which has been purposely directed against innocent and unarmed civilian porters," a spokesman of Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in Jammu on Tuesday night.

The Army will extend all possible assistance to the family of the deceased porter, he said, adding that the injured person will also be duly compensated. Targeting Army's civilian porters, ultras had detonated an IED on Monday while they were carrying supplies from an Army post to another in Sabzian-Mandi belt along the LoC.

A porter and a pony were killed in the blast, while another porter was wounded. The wounded porter was shifted to hospital, while the dead one was lying there till his body was recovered on Tuesday. The owner of the pony will also be compensated, the spokesperson said.