Forces launch fresh attacks against militants in Kashmir

The Army and other security forces in Kashmir have launched a major coordinated offensive against militants whose ranks have only swelled up mainly in south of the Valley with the joining of dozens of local boys during the turbulence set off by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July this year.

During the past three days, the security forces have killed two Hizb militants in separate encounters that took place during cordon-and-search operations in southern Shopian district. The officials said that the operations were launched on specific intelligence about the presence of militants in Shopian’s Dhobijan and Wangam villages.

The official sources said that the Army, the Jammu and Kashmir police and other security forces and intelligence agencies have reactivated their “sources” as well as their own sleuths and other recruits who had turned somewhat dormant during the unrest which, in fact, paralysed the administration in many parts of the Valley. This period witnessed widespread disturbances during which people in large numbers would take to the streets on daily basis and often clash with the police and Central paramilitary forces.

Nearly 100 people were killed and thousands others injured, mainly in security forces’ actions against the protesters and stone-pelting mobs.

The turmoil was seized by the militant outfits particularly the Hizb to strengthen their ranks and there have been many instances when militants surfaced at “aazadi” rallies to garner active support from the people. Also, they would roam around freely in villages of South Kashmir, attracting the attention of the youth. As Burhan Wani’s pursuits and killing was a narrative of heroism constructed around the new militancy in Kashmir and the corollary of his death, dozens of young boys have joined the Hizb ranks during the past four months. Wani’s replacement and other Hizb commanders have also followed his footsteps by using social media to reach out the Internet-savvy youth of the Valley with their “jihad obligation” message.

The drift has worried the security forces’ authorities. J&K’s director general police Koondaveeti Rajendra Kumar said at a security review meeting here at the weekend, “While the intensity and spread of situation has come down, the situation is extremely fragile. At present, 250-300 militants are active. Given the present situation, we need to have a roadmap for next two to three months.” He also said that the continuous infiltration from across the Line of Control (LoC) is a cause of worry as it can “change the whole game”.

Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti too has expressed concern over local youth joining militant groups. She has asked the administration and the police to take steps to wean away such youth from the path of violence with compassion.

“Such misadvised youth must be given an opportunity to return to normal life and provided an honourable livelihood. Get in touch with their families and talk it out with them. We should seriously think about how and what kind of future they should have in a welfare society like ours where every citizen has equal rights,” she told the meeting. Earlier she asked the security forces to spare the local militants during encounters so that they could be persuaded to abjure violence and live normal life. The security forces’ successfully persuading a local Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Umar Mir who was holed up inside a house in Tujjar area of Sopore in Baramulla during a cordon-and-search operation last week to surrender through his parents is being seen here as part of the Chief Minister’s strategy to avoid the post-Burhan Wani killing like situations in future.

Recently, the Northern chief Lt. Gen. DS Hooda and other senior commanders had had a series of meetings with J&K Governor, N.N. Vohra, here at which it was decided to enhance surveillance and resume counter-militancy operations in the hinterland. At a separate meeting held at the Raj Bhavan here and which was attended by Lt. Gen. Hooda, DG of J&K police, the GOC of Srinagar-based 15 Army Corps, Inspector General of the CRPF, its IG Operations and Intelligence Bureau (IB) head in J&K it was decided to not only resume counterinsurgency operations but also to take steps to safeguard and effectively ensure the safety and security of all civil and military vital installations and establishments in J&K.