Considerable success in anti-militancy operations in J&K in 2018, Army one step ahead of Pakistan, says Lt Gen Ranbir Singh

Jammu: Security forces met considerable success in anti-militancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018 by eliminating several top ultras who were targeting security forces and civilians, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh said on Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_5917571” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Lt Gen Ranbir Singh addressed media in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch. ANI[/caption] He said the number of terrorists killed last year in the valley was highest in the past 10 years. “From the security point of view, 2018 has been the best year for the forces. More than 250 terrorists were killed, nearly 54 arrested and four surrendered,” Singh told reporters in Poonch. He was replying to questions regarding the security situation in the valley in the backdrop of the ‘Operation All Out’. He also said the Army was replying befittingly to Pakistani aggression along the Line of Control (LoC) in the state. “Our operation has been successful. We have been able to eliminate a number of militants, who were targeting security forces and civilians. We have foiled their designs,” he said. Replying to questions about the continuous ceasefire violations along the LoC and five Pakistan soldiers reportedly being killed in Indian retaliation, Singh said, “The report you (media) said about the killing of five Pakistan soldiers in the last few days, it shows that the Indian Army is giving a befitting reply to every nefarious act of Pakistan.” He said the Army was a step ahead of Pakistan as far as giving a befitting reply is concerned. About the planting of IEDs along the LoC to target security forces, the official said it “is nothing new”. “For the past several years, they have been planting IEDs in our areas. We take care of it. Sometimes the IEDs explode and cause casualties but our endeavour is to remain vigilant along the border,” he said.