JAMMU: As many as 102 militants were killed while 29 Army men lost their lives in counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir this year.
"102 terrorists have been killed during the year, 47 were apprehended and one surrendered in operations in Jammu and Kashmir this year," Defence PRO Col S D Goswami said.
"The proponents of the proxy war were desperate to push in terrorists by attempting maximum infiltration to disrupt the Assembly elections. Many infiltration bids were foiled by the Army," he said.
Army also recovered 394 different types of weapons in different operations along the LoC and in hinterland in the state, he said, adding that terrorists had planted 15 IEDs, but these were detected and defused by the Army, averting major tragedies.
Army suffered 29 fatal casualties and 45 non-fatal casualties in counter terrorist operations in the state during the year, the PRO said.
"Army is an apolitical force and does not get involved directly in electoral process. Army had a role of ensuring a safe and secured environment for the conduct of free and fair polls and we did that by being vigilant and carrying out relentless operations with surgical precision based on accurate intelligence which resulted in (the process being) devoid of any interference by terrorists," he said.
"The security situation of J&K has a direct linkage with the infiltration through IB and LoC from across the border," he said.
"We are giving primacy to preventing infiltration by adopting a robust counter infiltration strategy which has an appropriate mix of technology and human resources, while we simultaneously degrade the remaining terrorists in the hinterland," the PRO said.
"The terrorist threat remains real as the terrorist infrastructure across the border remains intact," he said.