A CRPF inspector from the 187th battalion was killed in a terrorist attack in the remote Dudu area of Udhampur district, Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. The incident occurred around 3:30 pm when terrorists opened fire on a joint patrol of CRPF and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police. The inspector succumbed to his injuries while being transported to the hospital. This attack brings the total number of security force fatalities in J&K to 18 since May. Security forces have launched a massive search operation to track and neutralize the terrorists, who reportedly fled the scene under heavy retaliation. The recent surge in violence in the region is attributed to highly trained intruders from Pakistan employing hit-and-run guerilla tactics.