Majid Ahmad
Srinagar, Sept 27: The Thursday's fidayeen attack in which heavily armed militants stormed a police station and an army formation in Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu region has once again shown that terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir are on rise and militants are trying to shift their focus towards Jammu region.
Official data reveals that until September 26 this year, killings of security forces have shot up more than five times to 46 from nine last year, even though encounters dropped to 29 from 33 in the corresponding period of 2012.
Similarly, civilian and terrorist killings have also increased at 14 and 62 respectively until September 26, as compared to 10 and 41 in the corresponding period of last year.
Security experts fear more violence and predict that 2014 could prove one of bloodiest year in Kashmir militancy. "The targeted, bloodier strikes on security personnel by terrorists have the security establishment worried as many see these as an attempt to test infiltration routes ahead of a possible diversion of battle-hardened Taliban to J&K closer to the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces from Afghanistan next year," they say.
"The Taliban elements, who unlike Kashmiri militants are deadlier and more committed, could spell havoc for the counter-insurgency grid," experts warned.
A senior police officer told Early Times that they have credible evidence that efforts are being made by Pakistan-based and PoK-based elements to trigger violence in the state by scaling up infiltration and smuggling of arms.
"Thursday's attack has confirmed our apprehensions that militants from across the border have changed their game plan in an attempt to increase the geographical spread of their targets. Their focus has now shifted from north of Pir Panjal to the south," he said and added a new trend has emerged in the past two months, in which terrorists cross the LoC and move towards the Jammu region.
The officer claimed that about 30 militants have sneaked into the Jammu region in the past two months. "Earlier, militants would cross the LoC in Poonch, Rajouri and Mendhar sectors, while some of them crossed the Pir Panjal range to enter the Valley because any successful strike in the Valley would give them maximum attention.
However in the recent past, some Pakistan-based terrorists have infiltrated deep into Jammu. Their aim is to widen the geographical scope of terrorism," he added.
The Thursday's attack was the worst this year. According to union home ministry advisory, nearly 2500 militants are being trained to carry out anti-India activities at 42 terror camps in Pakistan and POK.
Describing the new strategy of the militants, army sources said that since the army's counter-insurgency measures along the LoC and other sensitive areas of north Kashmir like Kupwara and Baramula have prevented militants from carrying out any strike, they have now shifted their focus to the Jammu sector. |
