Srinagar, May 16 (UNI) After Pahalgam terror attack, security forces recalibrated their counter-terrorism strategy that helped them to eliminate six local militants, including two commanders, in south Kashmir in 48 hours.
Since Tuesday, three militants each of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad were killed in two separate encounters in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Awantipora.
In a joint media briefing by the police, Army and the CRPF, the officers said the success of these two operations was due to the “seamless coordination” between the security and intelligence agencies.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Vidhi Kumar Birdi said the Pahalgam terror attack prompted a comprehensive review of the existing security strategy.
"In the wake of heightened terror activities in Kashmir Valley, all the security forces deployed here reviewed their strategies. Following the review, there was an intensified focus on operations. On the basis of this intensified focus and coordination, we conducted two successful operations in the last 48 hours during which we had significant achievement. Six terrorists were neutralised in both the operations,” said Birdhi who was flanked by General Officer Commanding of Army’s Victor Force, Major General Dhananjay Joshi and IG CRPF Mitesh Jain.
Birdhi said the operations -- one in Shopian and another in Tral Awantopora -- were due to the seamless coordination among the CRPF, the Indian Army, and the Jammu and Kashmir Police. He also acknowledged the vital role played by intelligence agencies.
IGP Kashmir said all security agencies were determined here to end the terror ecosystem or any terrorist activity.
GOC, Victor Force, Major General Joshi said while briefing on Operation Naddar Tral and Keller Shopian said after the Pahalgam terror attack security forces targeted certain areas in a focused way.
He said both operations were carried out in different terrains — one in the dense high-altitude forests of Shopian, and the other in the populated village of Tral in Pulwama district.
“As we were receiving intelligence inputs that the terrorist groups have now shifted to higher reaches in the jungles after the melting of the snow. And keeping this in mind, our domination parties were continuously deployed there,” the Army officer said in the press conference.
He said on the night of the May 12, they got an input about the presence of a terrorist group in the upper reaches of Kellar , in Shopian.
“Parties were already deployed in these areas repositioned themselves. On the morning of May 13, our troops noticed suspicious movement in the high-altitude forests of Kailar. When challenged, the terrorists opened fire, triggering an encounter," the officer said.
Despite the treacherous terrain and difficult operating conditions, the troops successfully neutralized the militants after a fierce gunfight, he said.
In the second operation in Tral, the officer said the challenge was different.
“Acting on specific intelligence that a group of terrorists was hiding in a village, security forces quickly cordoned off the area. The terrorist tried to exploit the presence of civilians by taking up positions inside multiple houses. Our primary concern was to evacuate the villagers, including women, children, and elderly, without any harm," the officer said.
“After ensuring the safe evacuation of civilians, security forces conducted a systematic house-to-house search, ultimately neutralizing the hiding terrorists in separate locations within the village,” he added.
He said the two operations underline the adaptability and resolve of troops, whether in challenging high-altitude forests or densely populated villages
He said one of the slain militants, Shahid Kuttay, a local commander of the Lashkar, was involved in multiple attacks, including the killing of a sarpanch and an attack on a foreign tourist at a resort.
His associate, killed alongside him in the Shopian operation, was also wanted for the killing of a local non-migrant civilian, the officer added.
The Army officer said that the elimination of these two terror modules will severely dent the operational capabilities of militant groups active in the region.
The IG CRPF said these two operations have been possible because of the coordination and professional execution of security forces.
“I would like to assure you all that this coordination will remain the same in the future and, through this, we will be able to eradicate the terrorism completely from Jammu and Kashmir. I would also like to thank the public for its support, which proves that people want terrorism to be eradicated from Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
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