Situation in J&K peaceful but reducing troops footprints not recommended: Army commander

Srinagar: Kashmir is at the cusp of a new beginning as the security situation in the Valley is "peaceful and stable" but reducing the footprints of security forces is not recommended at this stage, a top Army officer said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference, General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the Army's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, who is relinquishing the command of one of the most elite formations of the Army, said Kashmir has had a "good year" and sustaining this peace is the biggest challenge for the security forces.

Lt Gen Ghai has been appointed as the next Director General of Military Operations (DGMO).

"I am sanguine that the situation in the Kashmir Valley is peaceful and stable and that the Chinar Corps, over the last 16 months that I have been at the helm, has tried valiantly hard to guard our borders, negate numerous attempts at infiltration by inimical elements, while also simultaneous(ly) prosecuting a very robust and successful counter-terrorist campaign within the Kashmir Valley," he said.

Over the last one and a half years, there were numerous significant events here and a lot of development in the region, Lt Gen Ghai said.

"This has been facilitated by a stable security situation brought about by very very significant efforts put in by Chinar Corps and its sister agencies like the J&K Police, CAPFs, and numerous other security agencies," he said.

"Today, as I am about to leave, I realise that the region is at the cusp of the new beginning," he added.

The senior Army officer further said that terrorism today is "largely fuelled from across the border".

"We have not had any active recruitment in the last year and a half. The numbers last year were down to a dozen. This year, they are almost next to nil.

"If you look at the four-five incidents that we have had in the Valley this year, softer targets have been picked where it is easy for a person to wield a pistol or a smaller weapon to carry out such an atrocity. But the numbers are almost negligible," he said.

The challenge for the security forces now, the GoC said, is to maintain this situation.

"Kashmir has had a good year, just as it did last year, and we need a few more good years... for the peace to be enduring and lasting and that I feel is the biggest challenge for the security forces to be able to keep the situation the way it is today," he said.

Asked if there was any chance of reducing the footprints of troops in the Valley due to the "peaceful" situation, the officer said it was not recommended at this stage.

"We need a few more good years like the ones we have had from 2022-24. For this peace to be enduring and lasting, we need to go through this process for a few more years.

"Therefore, whether it is the counter-infiltration grid or the counter-terrorism grid, it has to be maintained and sustained because we are possibly in the consolidation phase and no dilution of the grid is recommended," he said.

"I definitely am not a proponent of that at this stage," he asserted.

Responding to a question about the number of active terrorists in the Valley, Lt Gen Ghai said there are approximately 80.

"That is the lowest number in many years. When I came here last year, we were looking at the numbers past the 100 mark. That figure has come down," he said.

"It has been the endeavour of the security forces to actively and aggressively bring these numbers down and we have succeeded.

"I am quite confident that the way we are going ahead, we are prosecuting our operations in a manner where we are utilising every means at our behest, these numbers will keep going down. We could be looking at a lesser number by the mid of next year," the officer said.