NEW DELHI: Pushed to the brink by a string of successful counter-insurgency operations, terrorists are increasingly resorting to lone-wolf attacks against security forces in Kashmir, data obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs shows.
The rising trend of terrorists using grenades and IEDs, clearly points out at the desperation of the terror groups, which are getting increasingly wary of engaging in full-scale encounters. While 1 IED attack was carried out in 2020, 8 such attacks were carried out in 2021.
While forces diffused 51 IEDs in 2021, this figure was 38 in the previous year. Grenade attacks also increased from 55 to 58. Encounters dropped from 118 in 2020 to 100 in 2021. Consequently, the number of terrorists apprehended and killed also dropped last year.
Sources in the ministry attributed the fall in encounters and the rise in lone-wolf attacks to better coordination among the police, the CRPF and the Army. Moreover, the extra vigil along the LoC and the International Border, with the forces foiling repeated bids to push in arms and cadre, is being credited with pushing terror groups on the back foot, and forcing terrorists to carry out lone-wolf attacks in a desperate bid to stay relevant.
However, data exclusively accessed by TNIE also suggests a worrying trend. Last year, civilian casualties rose from 44 to 46. In 2020, 38 civilians were killed by terrorists while six died in firings by security forces. Last year, 41 civilians were killed by terrorists whereas five died in encounters and firings by security forces.
Also, the civilian injuries in such standoff rose from 61 to 75. “There was an overall improvement in the security situation in J&K last year owing to better coordination among security agencies, better intelligence gathering and deradicalisation measures taken up by security forces,” said a senior official of home ministry. ‘‘Besides October and December, the months which recorded a spate in killings of civilians and security forces, last year was relatively not too tense for security forces and civilians.’’
