After Border Action Teams (BAT) of Pakistan Army failed to strike and inflict fatal casualties on the Indian Army, they have been bleeding Indian soldiers across the line of Control (loC) by resorting to ‘sniping’ — a low risk high pay-off tactic employed by the enemy armies.
Since July 12, seven Indian soldiers have attained martyrdom along the loC in Keran, Poonch and Rajouri sectors.
By targeting Indian soldiers in this manner, the Pakistan Army is deliberately provoking Indian Army to hit back and escalate the tension.
The current escalation was triggered after two Indian soldiers, hailing from Jammu, were targeted in Keran sector of Kupwara by the Pakistan Army on July 12 while another Indian soldier deployed at a forward post in Rajouri was targeted on July 15. In similar strikes on July 17 and 18, two more soldiers attained martyrdom. A JCO injured in heavy exchange of fire also succumbed to his fatal injuries on July 19. On July 21, another soldier was targeted by sharp shooters in Sunderbani area of Rajouri.
Commenting on the series of incidents of cross border firing, a senior security expert told The Pioneer, “Pakistan Army is known to employ all kinds of tactics available at its disposal. When they failed to penetrate deep inside Indian territory to launch BAT attacks they resorted to using snipers to avenge loss of lives of their own soldiers in retaliatory punitive strikes.”
The security expert observed sniping is a low risk high pay-off tactic and it is opportunity based. While BAT teams comprising special commandos and highly trained terrorists run the risk of getting trapped and exposed if caught alive.
Following these strikes, the Indian Army had also beefed up its defences by increasing frequency of area domination patrol making it difficult for BAT teams to strike at will.
Alert Indian jawans have also repulsed several BAT strikes resulting in fatal injuries to Pakistan Army jawans as well.
In the last 10 months more than one dozen Indian soldiers have lost their lives in different sniping incidents.
Earlier on April 18, an Indian soldier deployed at a forward post in Bhimbder Gali area of Poonch was targeted from across the loC by Pakistan Army’s 650 Mujahid.
Security experts claim it as a deliberate attempt by the Pakistan Army to provoke strong Indian retaliation.
Following these sniping incidents tensions are expected to escalate further in the coming days.
The Indian Army has already adopted hot pursuit to flush out terrorists from different parts of Kashmir valley to restore peace and normalcy in the State. Since January 2017, more than 110 terrorists, including top commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen and lashkar-e-Tayyeba have been neutralised.