LoC NEWS: Hundred days at the Line of Control (LoC) have passed without a bullet being fired between Indian and Pakistani forces, bringing in a sense of calm for civilians. But the terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are far from being dormant, despite the dip in skirmishes between the two armies.
A flurry of intelligence inputs continues to pour in about terrorist activities in their hideouts close to the LoC in areas under control of the Pakistan Army.
Over the last one month as the guns fell silent, terrorist training camps were active and groups, possibly for infiltration, gathered across the LoC, sources said.
CONTINUOUS TERROR ACTIVITIES
On June 1, different groups of terrorists gathered in the Lipa Valley opposite Keran, Naugam and Rampur sectors, according to intelligence reports.
While this was one of the recent inputs, last month 24 terrorists began training in Nikial.
Four terrorists from Jaish-e-Mohammed, 10 from Al Badr and 10 from Laskhar-e-Taiba were present at the training camp preparing for infiltration. “All terrorists are being trained by retired SSG commandos colloquially named Abu Tala and Major Umar of 15 SIND (Nikial),” according to an intelligence report.
Similarly, frequent gatherings of a group of terrorists were reported over the last month.
On May 24, simultaneous gatherings of groups ranging from five to eight terrorists were reported from Tanagdhar, Naugam and Poonch.
Again, on May 25, a group of four Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists divided into two groups concentrated opposite Uri.
The pattern has been consistent over the last one month, officials say based on the reliable inputs that have been coming in.
Even civilian homes metres away from the LoC in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir being used as terror launchpads, packed with terrorists, additional deployment is being used by SSG commandos to assist in shallow raids backed by heavy calibre escalation.
STILL NO COMMITMENT FROM PAK TO END TERROR
India and Pakistan might have decided to implement the ceasefire agreement of 2003 to maintain peace at the borders but there is no commitment from Islamabad to stop sponsoring terror, government sources said.
Officials said there will be no reduction of troops on the Indian side. It has been made clear that ceasefire does not mean India will not respond to Pakistan-sponsored terror if there are infiltration attempts.
If the infiltration stops, violence will reduce and population can go about with their livelihood in a normal manner. Civilians from both sides have faced the brunt over the last few years with escalations at LoC.
It is in this backdrop that Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane after his visit to forward locations in Kashmir made it clear that the onus to keep peace was on Pakistan. Speaking to journalists in Kashmir after he said setting up of terror infrastructure, setting up of terrorist camps and a sizeable presence of terrorists on the other side continues.
The Indian Army in a statement on the army chief’s visit said, “While appreciating the current state of peace prevailing along the Line of Control, he cautioned all commanders and troops to not let their guard down and to remain prepared to meet any emerging security challenges effectively.”
AFTER TWO YEARS, SOME CALM AT LOC
Since August 2019, when Article 370 that gave special rights to Jammu and Kashmir was abrogated, to December 2020 a period of 17 months accounted for 80 per cent of the ceasefire violations in the last two years.
Ceasefire violations jumped to 4,700, the highest in the last 17 years.
The LoC has been on edge since the beginning of 2019 after the Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes at a terror camp in Balakot in Pakistan following the Pulwama suicide bombing in Kashmir that killed 40 Indian soldiers from the Central Reserve Police Force.
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