As ceasefire violations on the line of Control (loC) have stopped for the last three days, the Indian Army is now bracing for anticipated increase in violence in Jammu & Kashmir, besides spike in infiltration bids as Pakistan is desperate to “keep the pot boiling”. The coming days may see spectacular terror strikes on vital installations by specially trained infiltrators while the Pakistan Army and the ISI will give final push to infiltrate terrorists into Kashmir before snow blocks all ingress routes.
Nearly 200 terrorists, now poised to infiltrate, are trained and equipped with large quantities of arms and ammunition to engage security forces for a longer duration and inflict maximum casualties, and the operational commanders of the Army are revising their strategy to deal with the threat.
While the security forces are in a state of heightened alert all along the loC and International Border since Pakistan stepped up cross-border firing since surgical strikes by the Indian Army in September-end, the Army, paramilitary forces and the local police are striving for more co-operations to go after 300 terrorists already active inside the Kashmir valley.
Determined to seek revenge for surgical strikes in which 35-40 terrorists besides seven terrorist launch pads were destroyed by the Indian Army inside Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Pakistan Army and the ISI are trying to find out chinks in India’s armour.
In fact, despite temporary respite along the loC after ceasefire violations by Pakistan came to a stop three days back, movement of terrorists along the border in PoK was noticed, said the Army sources, adding the the Pakistan Army and the ISI are probing the vulnerable points on the loC to infiltrate. Keeping these dynamics in view, patrolling along the loC to thwart infiltration bids has been intensified by the Army, they said.
As regards securing hinterland where violence levels are expected to go up in the coming days, the sources said case of encounters with terrorists has already gone up. Elaborating upon this aspect, officials said one of the main reasons was that the real time Intelligence flow is now improving after it was hampered and counter-terrorist operations virtually came to halt during the three-month-long agitation and protests following Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani’s killing.
Series of incidents of weapon snatching by newly recruited militant cadre, recovery of new currency notes and two incidents of looting of cash from remote bank branches is keeping the security agencies on tenterhooks in the Valley. They were also worried about 80-oddd local youth joining the rank of terrorists after Wani was killed.
The crack down on ‘hawala’ money may have broken the backbone of network of over ground workers but their sympathisers were making every possible effort to keep the ‘terror pot’ boiling and channelising funds to militant groups to sustain themselves.
According to recent security assessment made by the various Intelligence agencies, “more than 300 militants are active in the region and small groups of heavily armed infiltrators may be looking for an opportunity to sneak inside the Indian territory to carry out spectacular strikes on vital security installations”.
In the coming days as the mountain passes would be covered with thick snow in North Kashmir the infiltrators would be headed towards plain areas along the International border to attempt infiltration bids. The Army and Border Security Force(BSF) are already in a state of high alert and keeping a close watch on the suspected movement of miscreants in the border areas.
The village defence committees and State police has also activated its machinery to maintain tight vigil in the area as infiltrators may try and take advantage of the foggy weather conditions to sneak inside the Indian territory to launch fresh strikes along the Jammu Pathankot National Highway. The Army deployed along the loC are already in a state of high alert to prevent any Border Action Team (BAT) operation and prevent any infiltration bid.
Total number of militancy related incidents have already touched all time high of last four years. Till November 20 more than 290 incidents of militant-related violence have been reported in the State in which 67 security personnel have sacrificed their lives. Compared to this, 39 security personnel were killed in 208 incidents in 2015 while 222 incidents were reported in 2014 and 170 in 2013.
Moreover, nearly 216 ceasefire violations including 170 after the surgical strikes and death of 14 soldiers was another pointed that the coming winters will be “hot and violent,” officials said.
On level of motivation and training of militants, sources said, “Attack on Entrepreneur Development Institute(EDI) complex in Pampore on two occasions, strike on UrI and Poonch Army camps and frequent attempts to target the State police men and Army convoys clearly demonstrates the fidayeen groups were highly motivated and trained to carry out such strikes.”
Number of incidents of random firing on security convoys in the hinterland and even on the 35-km-long notorious stretch between Bijbhera and Pampore is also posing a challenge to the security forces as local militants have been able to carve out their safe hideouts and striking at will.
Due to prolonged cycle of violence, which hit the streets of Kashmir valley in July 2016, the security forces had to suspend counter insurgency operations in the hinter land to avoid any confrontation with the agitated stone-pelters.