Srinagar: The recent escalation in militant activities in Jammu and Kashmir has heightened concerns among security agencies, with a new wave of attacks emerging just before the Assembly elections.
These assaults, reportedly executed by battle-hardened foreign militants armed with advanced weaponry, represent a significant shift from the tactics previously seen in the region.
The mounting number of militant ambushes, particularly in the hilly areas of the Jammu region, showcases not only increased frequency but also a notable advance in technological sophistication and strategic planning.
Former Jammu and Kashmir police chief Shesh Paul Vaid remarked that these militants are using high-tech weaponry, including M4 assault rifles—left behind by the US military in Afghanistan—and steel-cased bullets.
“The precision and coordination of these attacks reveal a completely new phenomenon,” Vaid said. “With decades of experience in handling insurgency, I can confidently say we've never encountered anything like this in the past thirty years.”
The sophistication of these attacks is alarming. Militants now employ advanced technologies, including drones and virtually untraceable Chinese communication apps, to execute highly coordinated strikes on security forces.
Sources said militants, trained to military standards and equipped with high-tech gear, are behind these precise assaults. The surge in violence is widely viewed as an effort to destabilise the region and disrupt the upcoming electoral process.
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has acknowledged the infiltration of highly trained foreign terrorists into the Union Territory. He confirmed that these militants, trained by Pakistan’s Special Service Group (SSG), are part of the increased threat.
However, Sinha assured that a comprehensive strategy is in place and that security forces are being redeployed to counter these threats effectively.
As Jammu and Kashmir prepares for its first Assembly elections in a decade, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promising to transform the region from a “terrorist hotspot to a tourist spot,” the recent surge in attacks casts doubt on the government's claims of restoring peace.
The intensified militant activities appear to challenge the BJP’s narrative and underscore the complexity of the security situation in the region.
Published 15 September 2024, 12:58 IST