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Kashmir: September bloodiest month for militants ever
Indian Army has said that the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have killed 211 militants and apprehended 20 in September, the largest ever tally since militancy broke out in the northern state in 1989-90. On October 3 and 4 alone, 25 militants were killed at two places, 19 at Gurez alone. Briefing the media on the security scenario in the country, Major General D H Summanvar said that the successful elimination of several top militant leaders in the recent past like Gazi Baba had led to less experienced leadership stepping in and getting killed or being caught by the security forces. "Infiltration is still continuing from Pakistan. But deployment of sophisticated tracking and surveillance equipment along the border has helped the security forces in eliminating a lot of militants. In September alone we have killed 211, which is a record of sorts since the beginning of militancy in the state," said General Summanvar.
Looks like the technical assistance from the IDF is really starting to pay off.
Official sources said that on an average 3000 militants are operating in the Kashmir Valley, 80 per cent of being foreign mercenaries.
"Foreign" is primarily Pakistani, of course...
The infiltration of militants during the month of September and October is maximum as the ultras are under pressure from their masters from across the border to create havoc, before the winter sets in the valley. There are 32 militant organizations operating in the valley, the main being Lashkar-e-Taiaba (LeT), Al Badr and Hizbul Mujahideen. While the cadres of the earlier two outfits are mostly suicide squads of foreign origin, some 60 per cent of the Hizbul are local Kashmiris.
Sources within the defense establishment said they are on the look out for a high-ranking Pakistani military official, who is allegedly directing the operations of the militants in the valley. A self-styled LeT district commander who was caught during an operation in the Banihal region last month disclosed during interrogation that there are several camps in Pak-Occupied Kashmir, imparting training to new recruits. The terrorist Mohammad Shahzad, said retired Pakistani military officials and Pakistan’s ISI are actively involved in training and pushing militants from across the border. Army officials said in addition to the over 72 tons of highly explosive substances sized from the militants, recoveries of weapons were over 31,000 during the last 13 years. "Training was given by LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) for 21 days and later for three months by retired Pakistani army officials along with LeT cadres. Before crossing over to Indian territory, we stayed at a Pakistani post for 24 hours and were later conducted through difficult terrain by trained guides," said Shahzad.
Posted by: Paul Moloney 2003-10-08
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=19603