Jammu and Kashmir: 89 militants killed this year, over 200 still active, say security officials

Security forces have killed 89 militants, including seven Pakistani nationals, in Jammu and Kashmir this year so far, top Army and police officials said on Saturday, maintaining that over 200 ultras are still active in the union territory. Out of these 89 terrorists, seven were FTs (foreign terrorists or Pakistanis). It (number) is lesser than the last year, but more top commanders were killed this year, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said. He was addressing a joint press conference with GoC of Army’s 15 Corps Lt Gen DP Pandey and GoC of south Kashmir-based Victor Force Major Gen Rashim Bali. To a question about the number of militants present in J-K, Lt Gen Pandey said about 200-225 ultras were active across the UT. He, however, said there has been no successful infiltration along the Line of Control (LoC) so far this year. There has been information about one or two infiltrations. We have launched operations, which are on to check or neutralise them (infiltrators). But, according to ground inputs, there has been no successful infiltration or intrusion in the 15 Corps zone in the Valley so far, LT Gen Pandey said. Asked about the operation in the Shokbaba Sumlar-Aragam area of Bandipora in north Kashmir in which three militants were killed last week, the Army officer said out of the three ultras, two had travelled through proper visa route to Pakistan in 2017-18. This is a design to take youth from here, train them there (in Pakistan), and then send them back as terrorists. At least 40 youth have travelled on visas to Pakistan for studying purposes after being given proper certificates for visa, but they were sent back here as terrorists, he said. The GoC said those youth who return from there in the right manner will be welcomed, but those who come back with weapons will be neutralised. The IGP said out of the 40 youth who had taken visa and travelled through the Wagah border route in Punjab to Pakistan, 27 came back with weapons and have been killed in encounters. Rest are still across, a few of them are in touch with their families. We are keeping a watch, he said. Security forces on Saturday killed two Jiash-e-Mohammed militants, including a top Pakistani ultra belonging to the family of the group’s chief Masood Azhar and involved in the planning of the 2019 Pulwama attack, in an encounter in Pulwama district, police said.