Jammu and Kashmir: Cross-Border Terror Intensifies

By Animesh Roul

Impressions have been created that the terror infiltration from across the border is diminishing and outfits operating from Pakistan are having a change of heart and mind. This has become a major excuse for the political parties in India (also in the J&K state) to raise their voice for troop withdrawal from J&K.

However, these politicking aside, in realty, there is an actual surge in terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. Even though there is an information ‘chaos’ on the infiltration and exfiltration patterns, Indian army officials opine that Pakistan Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence are “pushing the militants across.” Media reports quoting Indian army sources indicated an increase in infiltration in the last three years. In 2005, between January and May, 37 infiltrators crossed into India. Over the same months in 2006, 78 men crossed over, and till May 2007, there have been more than 100 infiltrators. (Times Now/Reuters).

For a Police account on infiltration, See Kashmir Times:

"There were 214 incidents of infiltration in the state till May 31, 2007. It included surrender of 49 infiltrations. Among the incidents of infiltration, 194 occurred in Kashmir and 20 in Jammu. 141 incidents of infiltration had occurred from January 1 to May 31, 2006. Those included 105 in Kashmir and 36 in Jammu. 168 militants were eliminated upto June 4, 2007. Two hundred and twenty one (221) militants were killed during the corresponding period last year. [Kashmir Times, June 08, 2007]

Almost all outfits operating in J&K–Lashkar e Toiba, Hizbul Mujahideen, Al Badr and Jaish-e-Mohammed – have been trying to mark their presence suddenly and violently, after of course a lull for sometime. They are resorting to ambush, grenade attacks mostly against army and paramilitary forces. Two attacks on army convoys in a single day early this month, said it all.

Infiltration foiled:

June 04: Four militants were killed near Tarkundi area in Rajouri while they were trying to sneak into J & K. Large number of arms and ammunitions recovered that include AK-47s, hand grenades from their possession.

May 30: Three suspected LeT militants shot dead in Sabre Gali area of Mendhar, (Poonch district) when they tried to cross the border.

May 25: Armed militants retreated back in Keri sector of Rajouri when security forces foiled their attempt to cross the border with heavy gunfire.

However, army sources maintained that there are many crossings go unnoticed and undetected and some inputs suggest that militants have been taking unusual routes to deceive security forces.

Indo-Israel Counterterror Cooperation

Early next week, one senior armed force official from Israel (deputy chief of general staff, Maj Gen Moshe Kaplinsky) will be leading a delegation to India primarily to discuss counter-terrorism strategies and other pressing issues that include how to tackle cross border infiltrations in J & K. The Israeli team will visit J&K to assess the situation on the ground. Undoubtedly, Israeli expertise would be invaluable in countering cross border terrorism especially infiltration monitoring and surveillance as many Israeli made hardware, from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to hand held thermal imagers (HHTIs) are in use along the Line of Control.

Of course, a closer India-Israel 'counterterror' ties will certainly raise some eyebrows across the border.

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