Three trained camels are crossing the International Border (IB) [Part-III]
(Continued from Part-II)First, a decoy operation would be launched to lure the terrorists into revealing their position. A convoy of BSF vehicles, resembling a regular patrol, would move along a known smuggling route. Meanwhile, another team would set up an ambush at a strategic point along the IB, close to where the camels were expected to cross. Karim Bux, who knew the terrain and the local smuggling networks better than anyone, would guide the ambush team.
As the sun set, casting long shadows over the desert, the operation commenced. The convoy set out, their headlights cutting through the sand, while the ambush team, including Karim Bux and the 2IC, moved stealthily to their designated location. Every man was alert, their ears tuned to the faintest sound over the howling winds.
Hours passed in tense silence. The night grew darker, the desert's chill biting through their uniforms. Just as fatigue began to set in, a low rumble echoed through the night. The convoy had reached the area where the terrorists were suspected to be hiding. Suddenly, gunfire erupted, cutting through the silence like a knife. The terrorists had taken the bait. The sound of artillery being mobilized confirmed it: the decoy operation was working.
At the ambush site, the BSF soldiers waited patiently, their eyes scanning the horizon. Then, in the dim light, they spotted movement. A line of camels, almost invisible against the sandy backdrop, was approaching the border. Karim Bux signaled, and the BSF soldiers took their positions. The camels drew closer, and soon, the outlines of their handlers became visible—armed men, their silhouettes dark against the night sky.
The ambush was swift and decisive. BSF opened fire, targeting the handlers and forcing the camels to halt. Startled, the camels brayed and reared, but the BSF soldiers moved in quickly, securing the animals and their cargo. As the dust settled, it became clear just how close they had come to a disaster. The camels were loaded with packets of high-grade heroin and crates of weapons, including automatic rifles and explosives.
The interrogation of the captured handlers revealed the full extent of the plot. The drugs were intended to fund terrorist activities, while the weapons were meant for a series of coordinated attacks on border posts and civilian areas. The simultaneous artillery engagement, a diversion, would have allowed the camels to slip across the border and unleash havoc.
With the operation successfully concluded, the BSF had not only thwarted a major drug trafficking route but had also dismantled a significant terrorist network. The captured evidence provided critical intelligence that would aid in future operations. The cooperation of local informants like Karim Bux had proved invaluable, highlighting the importance of human intelligence even in the age of satellites and drones.
As dawn broke over the desert, the BSF Commander's gaze fell upon the horizon. The camels, once instruments of danger, now stood tethered, their burden lifted.
Operation Desert Mirage was successful. The IB was secure for the time being, but the desert would always be a place of shadows and secrets, demanding eternal vigilance.
[Concluded. This is a story devloped in my creative brain: Please don't try to find any similarity with any real event.]