A Rangers official embraced martyrdom, and at least 11 security personnel were injured in separate attacks during efforts to restore public movement and clear blocked roads in Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, according to security officials.
Officials accused armed supporters of the outlawed Joint Awami Action Committee, or JAAC, of opening fire on civilians and law enforcement personnel in Rawalakot and resisting a clearance operation on the Kotli-Tatarkhel highway.
The first incident occurred near the Matial Mira bus terminal in Rawalakot on the morning of July 14, officials said.
According to the official account, armed men initially opened fire near a civilian area before targeting police personnel who were moving towards the site to restore order.
Rangers personnel sent to assist the police were then fired upon with modern weapons, officials said.
One Rangers official Naik Imtiyaz Ali embraced martyrdom in the shooting.
In a separate development, security forces launched an operation in Baloch Bazaar to reopen the main Kotli-Tatarkhel highway after armed groups allegedly erected illegal barricades.
Officials said the blockade had suspended public transport and disrupted the movement of food and other essential supplies.
Security personnel came under fire and faced resistance while attempting to remove the barriers, leaving 11 members of the security forces injured, according to the official statement.
Authorities said the clearance operation was continuing to reopen the highway and restore access for residents and supply vehicles.
They said protecting civilians and reopening transport routes remained the main objectives of the operation.
Security analysts described the reported use of modern weapons and explosives as evidence of organised and premeditated violence.
They called for strict legal action against those involved in attacks on law enforcement agencies and other state institutions.
The latest violence comes after weeks of unrest in the region involving the JAAC and security forces.
The AJK government banned the JAAC in June, citing public order and security concerns. The group had been campaigning against reserved seats for Kashmiri refugees and seeking broader political and economic reforms.
Deadly clashes in Rawalakot in June left civilians and law enforcement personnel dead. Authorities accused armed JAAC supporters of attacking security forces, while the committee said security personnel had fired on peaceful protesters.
The earlier violence was followed by arrests, internet restrictions and road closures across the region, while the government and protest leaders traded accusations over responsibility for the unrest.
