Report Wire

Tag: pakistan kashmir

  • After three-month thaw, an uptick in militancy in Kashmir; June, July see 16 encounters

    AFTER a semblance of tranquility alongside India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir, militancy-related violence has witnessed a spike within the Valley over the past six weeks, together with a rise within the participation of overseas terrorists in assaults on safety forces.
    In 2021, 86 militants had been killed throughout J&Ok. In June and July alone, 36 militants or 45 per cent had been killed in 16 encounters. July has been significantly energetic, witnessing 10 encounters in 20 days, wherein 20 militants had been killed, of which 4 are suspected to be from Pakistan.
    In all this 12 months, the safety forces had been engaged in 36 operations, and of the 86 killed, 80 had been killed in Kashmir and 6 in Jammu. Also half the militants killed had been from LeT.
    In these operations, 15 safety personnel and 19 civilians misplaced their lives this 12 months in militancy-related incidents.
    Notably, the information obtained from authorities sources reveals overseas terrorists (from Pakistan) weren’t concerned in any encounter with safety forces till April. Between April and June, 4 overseas terrorists had been killed in encounters with terrorists. In July, one other 4 FTs had been killed, taking their rely to eight.

    ExplainedSpike not anticipatedThe altering dynamics of militancy in Kashmir coincides with shifting sands within the area’s geopolitics, significantly Pakistan’s personal significance and developments in Afghanistan. It is assumed that uncertainties in Afghanistan early this 12 months and strain from FATF had pressured Pakistan to return to the negotiating desk. Those pressures have eased now.

    India and Pakistan had determined to honour the ceasefire after the DGMOs of the 2 international locations met and issued a joint assertion on February 25. This was seen as a big thaw within the relations between the 2 international locations and was anticipated to translate right into a drop in infiltration and terrorist actions in Kashmir.

    The peace throughout the Valley may, nevertheless, maintain for simply a few months. Sources stated 4 infiltration makes an attempt had been made within the final week; whereas one was foiled, three succeeded and as many as 20 terrorists are learnt to have entered Kashmir.

    In phrases of recruitment, until July 15 this 12 months, 69 people joined the militant ranks in contrast with 85 within the corresponding interval final 12 months. Much of the recruitment has been from the three South Kashmir districts of Kulgam, Shopian, and Pulwama. Overall, in 2020, 174 people turned militants in contrast with 143 in 2019.
    When contacted, Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, Dilbag Singh stated technological interventions have helped curb recruitment within the Valley in addition to intensification on counter-terrorism operations regardless of Covid-19 pandemic. “We intercepted several people before they could join any terror outfits… In many cases, parents have come to seek help in finding boys that have gone missing. So public trust has increased,” he stated.
    The J&Ok Police information additionally reveals that militancy-related incidents – direct or grenade assaults – are down from 120 within the first six months of 2020 to 84 this 12 months. Further, whereas J&Ok had recorded 937 incidents of ceasefire violation in 2020, this 12 months solely 95 incidents had been recorded, virtually all from earlier than the February 25 settlement.
    According to intelligence studies, there are over 200 terrorists energetic within the Valley with 40 per cent of them having infiltrated from Pakistan. “We are expecting an increase in direct involvement of FTs in attacks in the near future,” the officer stated.

    A senior safety institution officer stated a lot of this needed to do with Pakistan’s altering significance within the area’s geopolitics. “Earlier, Pakistan’s hands were forced in part due to the pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which has continued to keep it in the Grey List. However, with developments in Afghanistan where Taliban is set to take control of the country, Pakistan is being seen as a necessary ally to have for both the Western and regional powers. The FATF pressure too has reduced considerably,” the officer stated.
    In 2020, a complete of 225 militants had been killed by safety forces working in J&Ok. In the course of 103 operations – 90 in Kashmir and 13 in Jammu – 207 militants had been killed within the Valley whereas 18 within the Jammu area. However, the variety of J&Ok police officers killed this 12 months is up. Compared with 15 in 2020, ten policemen have been killed this 12 months together with a sub-inspector, a constable and SPOs.

  • J&Okay: Drop in regulation & order incidents however uptick in militant recruitment

    IN ITS FIRST full yr as the most recent Union Territory of the nation, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed an uptick in recruitment to militant ranks; the variety of regulation and order incidents, nonetheless, dropped considerably through the yr.
    According to police knowledge for the final three years, the variety of regulation and order incidents in J&Okay plunged 75 per cent to 143 in 2020 in contrast with 584 in 2019. Militancy-related incidents additionally dropped 5 per cent to 243 in 220 in contrast with 255 in 2019. The fall is critical compared with 2018, which witnessed 417 militancy-related incidents.
    The variety of recruits becoming a member of militancy within the UT has, nonetheless, seen a 22 per cent rise to 174 in 2020 from 143 in 2019. Of the 174 recruits, 76 militants had been killed and one other 46 arrested. Just 52 stay lively, knowledge with the J&Okay Police exhibits.
    When contacted, Director General, J&Okay Police, Dilbag Singh, instructed The Indian Express that 2020 marked a big enchancment within the state of affairs on counts of terrorism, regulation and order and safety. “If you look at the past decade, the situation is better on all parameters since 2016. I would say a lot of improvement has been made on law and order and security as well as terrorist violence. Several militant commanders were killed in a single year and civilian and police casualties were brought down,” he stated.

    Between January and December 2020, as many as 225 militants had been killed by safety forces working in J&Okay. In the course of 103 operations — 90 in Kashmir and 13 in Jammu — 207 militants had been killed within the Valley whereas 18 within the Jammu area.
    Officials stated 46 prime commanders of varied militant outfits had been amongst these neutralised in 2020. These embody Riyaz Naikoo and Junaid Sehrai and Dr Saifullah of the Hizbul Mujahideen. Lashkar’s Sajad Haider, Burhan Koka from Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind and commanders of the newly-carved The Resistance Front had been additionally amongst these killed in 2020, an official with J&Okay Police stated.

    The knowledge additionally exhibits that 36 civilians and 45 safety personnel succumbed to military-related actions in 2020. The casualties are decrease than the earlier yr. The variety of J&Okay police personnel killed as a result of militant exercise has additionally seen a 24 per cent decline. In 2020, as many as 61 police personnel misplaced their lives.
    Meanwhile, ceasefire violations throughout the LoCs (Lines of Control) have elevated by over 50 per cent, recording 930 incidents in 2020. Over 9,500 cordon and search operations throughout J&Okay had been carried out up to now yr.

  • 35 per cent fall in variety of terrorists working in J&Ok: Army

    Despite 27 per cent enhance in incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan to facilitate cross border infiltration into the Union Territory throughout 2020 than earlier yr, there was almost 35 per cent fall within the variety of terrorists working in Jammu and Kashmir.
    Releasing the info pertaining to 2020, military mentioned that there have been 274 terrorists lively in Jammu and Kashmir final yr as in comparison with 421 terrorists working throughout 2019.
    The incidents of ceasefire violation rose from 3,824 throughout 2019 to five,246 in 2020.

    The safety forces killed 221 terrorists in 2020 as in comparison with 152 terrorists eradicated in 2019, it mentioned, including that 47 terrorists had been apprehended throughout 2020 towards 43 caught throughout the earlier yr.
    Similarly, eleven terrorists surrendered earlier than safety forces final yr as towards solely three surrendering due the corresponding interval throughout 2019.

    While the variety of infiltration foiled remained the identical throughout 2019 and 2020, a lot of the instances infiltrating terrorists had been killed, it mentioned. As a end result, solely 32 terrorists may infiltrate as towards 141 in 2019, it mentioned quoting multi company centre figures.
    In view of heightened vigil by safety forces alongside the border and its continued anti terror operations within the hinterland, the variety of terrorists at launch pads in Pakistan had decreased between 294-336 throughout 2020 as towards 520-556 the earlier yr, it added.