SRINAGAR: Militant violence in Jammu and Kashmir doubled and infiltration attempts and successful infiltration of militants from across the border increased considerably between 2013 and 2017, a report of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has said.
“There has been a steady surge in militant violence in the state since 2013. The militancy violence has nearly doubled in last four years,” the report says.
According to data, 170 incidents of militancy were reported in 2013, in which 53 security forces personnel, 15 civilians and 67 militants were killed. “In 2014, 224 militancy-related incidents were witnessed, in which 47 security men, 28 civilians and 110 militants were killed”.
“In 2015, 208 militancy incidents were reported, in which 39 security men, 17 civilians and 108 militants were killed. In 2016, 82 security men, 15 civilians and 150 militants were killed in 322 militancy0-related incidents,” the report states.
The report reveals that 342 militancy-related incidents were reported in 2017, in which 80 security personnel, 40 civilians and 213 militants were killed.
In view of the surge in militancy in the state, security forces launched “Operation All Out” against militants last year and a record number of 213 militants, including top commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, were killed.
The MHA report states that militancy in J&K is intrinsically linked with infiltration of militants from across the international border and the Line of Control.
According to the data, 277 infiltration attempts were made by militants in 2013, followed by 222 attempts in 2014, 121 in 2015, 371 in 2016 and 406 in 2017.
“In 2013, 97 militants successfully infiltrated into the state. The figure stood at 65 in 2014, 33 in 2015, 119 in 2016 and 123 in 2017,” says the report.
Most of the militants who infiltrate into the state are from Pakistan and belong to the militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammad or Lashkar-e-Toiba.
According to security officials, last year, more than 50 militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad managed to sneak into the state to revive the militant outfit in the Valley.
After Lashkar and Hizb militants suffered casualties in Operation All Out, Jaish militants took the front stage and carried out fidayeen attacks and IED blasts in the Valley.
The MHA report said that the Central government, in tandem with the J&K government, had adopted a multi-pronged approach to contain cross-border infiltration.
“The counter-infiltration grid has been strengthened by upgrading the border infrastructure, multi-tiered and multimodal deployment along the IB and LoC, and near the ever-changing infiltration routes, construction of border fencing, improved technological surveillance, weapons and equipment for security forces, improved intelligence and operational coordination, synergized intelligence flow and proactive action against militants within the state,” it added.