New Delhi: Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) which has emerged as a frontline terrorist organisation in Kashmir has over 40 hardcore active terrorists in South Kashmir, which also includes Pulwama, according to sources involved in counter-terror operations.
However, what is also making the security establishment worried is that the number of local boys turning to terror in Kashmir has risen. “In 2017, around 128 local boys joined militancy, which rose to 208 in 2018,” said sources. In 2019, till now three boys are reported to have joined the militants, they said.
Most of the hardcore terrorist of the Jaish in South Kashmir are foreigners, which are helped by a well-developed network of local over-the- ground workers that provide support for terror activities, said sources.
South Kashmir, which in recent years has come to be known as the hotbed of terror and anti-India activities in the Valley has four districts: Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian.
Jaish does not have a hierarchy like in other terror organisations including Hizbul Mujahideen which nominates people like Kashmir commanders and so on.
Three Jaish terrorists including Kamran, a Pakistani national, were killed on Monday in Pulwama district’s Pinglan area, about 12 km from where a suicide bomber blew his explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus last week, killing 40 jawans. A major and three other army personnel were killed and a brigade commander, a lieutenant colonel and a deputy inspector general of the JK police, were also injured in the gun battle.
“The high number of casualties on our side is because terrorists like Kamran, who are foreigners, are trained well in Pakistan and are more hardcore than the locals like those in Hizb-ul-Mujahideen,” said sources. However, Gazi who is believed to have made the IED for the car which killed the jawans was not involved in the encounter. Sources in the security establishment here said that Kamran was an A++ category Jaish terrorist.
“Kamran, being a Pakistan-trained militant was generally giving instruction in South Kashmir. His killing is significant in the sense that we have eliminated a directional commander and he must have had information on the Pulwama attack on CRPF,” said sources.
